A rapid rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan could alter the mood in Pakistan overnight. So could a perception that Pakistan's support is being taken for granted abroad. This is why Mr Musharraf should be graciously received in London, and why his views should be given a sympathetic hearing in Downing Street and in the White House.. There was never much chance that, when it came to the second stage of reform of the House of Lords, the Government would take the radical route to change.

We have seen too much of New Labour's tragically half-hearted approach to the constitutional agenda even to hope that the White Paper published yesterday would do anything more than the absolute minimum to grant the upper chamber any democratic legitimacy. There was never much chance that, when it came to the second stage of reform of the House of Lords, the Government would take the radical route to change. We have seen too much of New Labour's tragically half-hearted approach to the constitutional agenda even to hope that the White Paper published yesterday would do anything more than the absolute minimum to grant the upper chamber any democratic legitimacy.So it has proved. The preparation of opinion for this timid attitude had been carried out dutifully by the Wakeham Commission, and it was hardly surprising that this Government opted to support the most limited of the options that Commission put forward for the membership of the new Lords: that one fifth be elected.

And, to make matters even worse, that small group will be nominated via a closed party list, one of the most effective devices known to the dedicated party machine fixer. It is a depressing prospect.The arguments about Lords reform are well rehearsed, not least by the Wakeham Commission. Every option has its drawbacks and every reform creates potential anomalies. The case against a strong democratic mandate for the upper house is a good one. It would be undesirable to have the two chambers potentially in opposition to one another. And yes, it would be difficult to get people to turn out to vote for an upper house when so few do so even in general elections.However, such objections are no reason to abandon the principle that laws should be framed, on the whole, by those whom we can directly or indirectly dismiss through the ballot box.