The purpose of this blog is to inform a wider audience about the role of the House of Lords, hopefully provide some insights into its workings, and encourage interaction with those who read it. For anyone who is interested in learning more about the House, there are a number of valuable sources. There is the Parliament website, of which more in a later post, but there are also some good academic works. There are two in particular. One is Emma Crewe, Lords of Parliament: Manners, Rituals and Politics (Manchester University Press, 2005). Emma Crewe is an anthropologist who spent a great deal of time in the House, just watching, observing and talking to members and staff. Her work is a fascinating insight into the House. The other is Donald Shell, The House of Lords (Manchester University Press, 2007). Donald Shell specialises in the study of the Lords and this book replaces earlier works on the subject. It is a good, accessible study.
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Launched in early 2008, Lords of the Blog encourages dialogue between the public and Members of the House of Lords. This is where Members of the Lords write blogs on their specialist areas and talk about life and work in the House of Lords. We have a growing number of regular contributors as well as guest appearances from other Peers. If you'd like to know more about how the Lords of the Blog project has developed since 2008 read our Media Briefing here.
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3 Comments
An anthropologist observing the House of Lords !! Fantastic stuff !!
This news could not have come at a more apposite time. I have read alarming reports of plan to try and extinguish a number of this fine and rare species, the ‘Lord’..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7306079.stm
I feel that we need to work together to prevent this disastrous situation of the Lords being replaced with, shock ! horror ! probe !, an ‘elected chamber’ !
I vote that we set up a committee like the ‘World Wide Fund for Nature’ has at certain large zoos, where we try to adopt one of these beautiful, rare, intelligent creatures and prevent their extinction.
Of course, Lord Norton, you may say that the danger of this is that some of the more eye-catching varieties may garner far more support than the more camouflaged, yet more industrious, varieties. And some Lords might, mentioning no names, gather very little support at all, especially if they spend a lot of time writing novels and are rarely found in their natural habitat.
But just as a zoo pools the contribution from the many who want to adopt a cuddly panda and shares it with the cost of upkeep of the donkey and leaf cutter ant, I feel sure that this could be a model which will enable the independent and impartial Lords to continue to evolve and be saved from an ignominious end through destruction of their habitat.
Save the Lords !! Adopt a Baroness today !!
A proportion who are elected surely poses a major problem, if I understood Lord Norton’s earlier reply on my question of ‘what is contentious for you’?
The Royals don’t seem to be visiting the Commonwealth as much. In the Bahamas, there has not been a visit from the young princes as yet, from what I recall. Do they ever visit historical buildings and areas?