Richard "Dickie" Hawthorne, Bobby Glass and others in “The Bigger Picture”

The House of Lords is one of the oldest institutions in the world. Some say it's an affront to modern democracy. Others that this group of steady-handed experts, unaffected by the vagaries of public opinion, are the only thing stopping the country from tipping over into the abyss.

Bobby Glass

I don't need a fսcking history lesson, Dickie. Cut to the chase.

Right, yes. The point of the matter is the bill to decriminalize mɑrіjսɑnɑ will be decided on Friday. If the Contents get it, the bill is passed, and you'll be able to buy an eighth of premium-grade wacky-tobaccy from any number of a thousand certified high-street outlets by the end of the year. If the Not-contents get it, the bill will be thrown back to the House of Commons, where it will slowly wither up and die, like a gamey old courtesan with the clap.

Once you take party loyalty into account, the House is split down the middle, which means whoever controls the non-affiliated hereditary peers effectively controls what happens to the bill.

And thanks to the delicate and nuanced work of the boys over the last couple of weeks, I'd say we're quietly confident.

Bobby Glass

Well, that's it, then, isn't it? Job done. This time next week, it'll be as dead as disco.