Just as the Crown slowly lost its hold over government 
during the 18th and 19th century, so the Lords gradually 
lost their control over the Commons. The Lords' influence 
had been gradually reduced by the Reform Acts of 1832, 
1867, and 1884 - but the most important change came 
with the Parliament Act of 1911, which largely took away 
the Lord's right to veto Commons decisions. 

The Act was prompted by the House of Lords' rejection of 
Lloyd George's radical 'People's Budget'. It allowed the Lords only
delaying powers - of one month for finance bills, and two years for most other legislation. It also reduced the duration of Parliament to a maximum five years.