Twice the House of Commons had passed a bill allowing prosecution in Britain of suspected Nazi war criminals. And twice the House of Lords had rejected it, arguing that such ex post facto legislation was a violation of Anglo-Saxon legal precepts. So last week the government invoked a rare constitutional process to override the Lords' objections and ensure enactment of the War Crimes Bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Queen Elizabeth this week.
It was the most dramatic test of will between the two houses of Parliament in 42 years. At issue was the fate of an...
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