House of Lords (Members’ Taxation Status) Bill [HL]

Yes, the Conservatives are planning to go a little way towards it, but still not enough for some people. The points that have been made are important, but it would be most unfortunate—I have had this view expressed to me by many Australians and I have discussed it with people at high level in the Australian Government, and I believe that the same would apply to all Commonwealth people—if our Government in the United Kingdom, and I look on it as "our" Government because I have lived here so long, suddenly said, "All Commonwealth people are unwelcome unless they suddenly become British". That would be a dramatic change from the marvellous tolerance that Britain has always had towards people from all parts of the Commonwealth. That is why this is called the mother country, because it has always been so welcoming and supportive. To turn around and say, "Sorry, you’re all out if you’re Commonwealth" would provoke a pretty bad reaction, not only in Australia but in pretty well all the Commonwealth. I return to the same point: domicile. If domicile were not in the Bill, I would have no objection to the taxation issue.