The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, last night declared an end to "feudal domination" as his government braced itself for a bitter and protracted parliamentary battle over the reform of the House of Lords.
The scene for that battle was set earlier in the day at the state opening of the new parliamentary session when, in just one sentence, Britain's hereditary monarch proclaimed centuries of tradition at a close, confirming the government's determination to strip hereditary peers of their right to sit and vote in parliament.
Peers clad in ermine-lined robes listened in silence as Queen Elizabeth announced the end of a 900-year line of influence in the affairs of state for assorted barons, earls, viscounts, marquesses and dukes by virtue of their birth. But there was an unconventional, if muted, roar of approval from Labour MPs as Queen Elizabeth told them: "A bill will be introduced to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords."
The bill would be the first stage in a process designed to make the Lords more representative and democratic. The government would publish a White Paper setting out arrangements for a new system of appointing life peers, and a royal commission would review further changes and speedily bring forward proposals for reform.
Of 661 hereditaries, 303 take the Conservative whip, as opposed to 24 who take the Liberal Democrat whip and just 16 Labour. There are 202 cross-benchers, 88 "others" and 26 bishops. After reform, no party would command an overall majority in the "interim" House of Lords.
Conservative spokesmen last night signalled they would not attempt to defend the hereditary principle as the government's proposals went before parliament.
But retaining the threat to severely disrupt the government's legislative programme, Mr David Willetts said: "What we'll want to see is a replacement second chamber which is better than the one we have at the moment. Obviously nobody is going to defend the hereditary principle . . . but the important point is that what we do have should be at least as independent, if not more independent."
That brought a warning from the cabinet "enforcer", Dr Jack Cunningham, that disruption of the government's business programme would simply strengthen the case for reform.
Mr Blair meanwhile moved to try and ensure that the constitutional issue did not overshadow a "challenging" programme which will otherwise be dominated by major bills on welfare reform and trade union rights, and continuing measures reflecting government priorities on education, the National Health Service and law and order.
Yesterday's Queen's Speech also confirmed that MPs will shortly have a free vote on a proposal to reduce the age of homosexual consent to 16, coupled with a measure to protect youngsters from abuse by people in positions of trust.