<P> In 2005, a cross-party group of senior MPs (Kenneth Clarke, Paul Tyler, Tony Wright, Sir George Young and Robin Cook) published a report proposing that 70% of members of the House of Lords should be elected--each member for a single long term--by the single transferable vote system . Most of the remainder were to be appointed by a Commission to ensure a mix of "skills, knowledge and experience". This proposal was also not implemented . A cross-party campaign initiative called "Elect the Lords" was set up to make the case for a predominantly elected Second Chamber in the run up to the 2005 general election . </P> <P> At the 2005 election, the Labour Party proposed further reform of the Lords, but without specific details . The Conservative Party, which had, prior to 1997, opposed any tampering with the House of Lords, favoured an 80% elected Second Chamber, while the Liberal Democrats called for a fully elected Senate . During 2006, a cross-party committee discussed Lords reform, with the aim of reaching a consensus: its findings were published in early 2007 . </P> <P> On 7 March 2007, members of the House of Commons voted ten times on a variety of alternative compositions for the upper chamber . Outright abolition, a wholly appointed house, a 20% elected house, a 40% elected house, a 50% elected house and a 60% elected house were all defeated in turn . Finally the vote for an 80% elected chamber was won by 305 votes to 267, and the vote for a wholly elected chamber was won by an even greater margin: 337 to 224 . Significantly this last vote represented an overall majority of MPs . </P> <P> Furthermore, examination of the names of MPs voting at each division shows that, of the 305 who voted for the 80% elected option, 211 went on to vote for the 100% elected option . Given that this vote took place after the vote on 80%--whose result was already known when the vote on 100% took place--this showed a clear preference for a fully elected upper house among those who voted for the only other option that passed . But this was nevertheless only an indicative vote and many political and legislative hurdles remained to be overcome for supporters of an elected second chamber . The House of Lords, soon after, rejected this proposal and voted for an entirely appointed House of Lords . </P>

When did the house of commons become supreme