Courtenay Ilbert Diary 1911

On 18 August 1911 the Parliament Act was given Royal Assent, as the Lords withdrew its insistence on amendments in the face of Commons opposition. The 131 votes that helped pass the bill came from 83 Liberals, 13 bishops and 35 Unionists. This diary extract which includes this iconic parliamentary occasion is from the diaries of Sir Courtenay Ilbert (1841-1924), Clerk of the House of Commons 1902-1921. Ilbert gave guidance on procedural issues arising from bills such as the Parliament Act and gained a reputation for providing legal expertise invaluable in the drafting of bills while remaining impartial to political divides caused by controversial legislation. Despite attaining high office in Parliament he remained a lawyer at heart, seeking the correct legality for political changes. His influence was considerable in the production and style of modern legislation.