Political Parties and Elections Bill

I am going to come to that point. I want to address the issue of consensus. Lord Bach, who led for the Government in the other place, said:""Any changes should command…consensus…this has been an overriding objective for the Government throughout the passage of this Bill."—[Official Report, House of Lords, 6 May 2009; Vol. 710, c. GC239.]" I take a different view. I think that on this issue it would be impossible to reach consensus with the Conservative party. It was never going to agree to turn off the tap that feeds millions of pounds from tax exiles into the party coffers.