The 1903 Gordon Bennett Trophy road race could not be held in Great Britain, although the United Kingdom was due to host it, as a result of concern over the deaths in earlier continental versions. The UK organisers, however, decided to run the event in Ireland and lobbied Irish opinion, including the Irish bishops. A special Act of Parliament was passed to allow road closures for the event and to give competitors a temporary exemption from the speed limits. One member of the House of Lords, Earl Spencer, commented that the debate on this piece of legislation was the first occasion on which all members of both houses had been in harmony on anything to do with Ireland. For the Gordon Bennett event the British entries were painted green, to mark the fact that the race was being held in Ireland, and the shade chosen became known as British racing green. The race is also significant since it laid down the basic rules on which modern Formula 1 racing is based.