I thought I would pose a couple of gentle quiz questions. If they prove relatively easy, I may post another over the course of the weekend.
Peer 1
I have been in and out.
I have moved about the House.
I have been a senior adviser to a global financial institution.
I have chaired a major Lords commitee.
Who am I?
Peer 2:
I started as a linguist.
I have been an executive in industry.
I am best known for having led one of our major charities.
I am founder and patron of another charity concerned with the elderly.
Who am I?
QI Baroness Fookes who’s birthday is it today is reported to be 79 in the times and 73 in the Telegraph
Peer 1 – Lord Grenfell ??
I had looked at Grenfell who has been in an out and Chair’d a major Cttee but has he changed sides and been a financial advisor?
This isn’t going well, nor looking out of my window at the sheep that seem to have escaped onto my lawn is the day. I’d better deal with them then I’ll try and crack the quiz.
Hi Croft..
Lord Grenfell has been an adviser to the World Bank (well that’s kinda global.. :O)) ) and has moved around the house, not by changing sides, but by having held many different positions including Principal Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker (gosh, these peers have sooo much fun…!!!)
Have fun chasing away the sheep!
Steph x
Well done Steph. Peer 1 is indeed Lord Grenfell. A Labour hereditary peer, he served as a senior adviser to the World Bank. He was brought back to the House as a life peer in 2000. During his time as Deputy Principal Chairman of Committees and Chairman of the EU Committee (2002-08), he sat on the cross-benches. Now that he has completed his term of office, he has moved back to the Labour benches. He was one of the candidates for the Speakership in 2006.
All we need now is for someone to work out who Peer 2 is!
Tory Boy: I can confirm that the Daily Telegraph got it right. I might add that Baroness Fookes is also extremely energetic and a hard-worker in the House. She and I are usually the last ones to leave the office in an evening, which usually means when the House rises about 10.00 p.m.
I am surprised that she is so young I would have thought that she would be older (please do not tell her) However she was a fine Deputy Speaker in the Commons and her no no-nsense style still takes place in the Lords today as she is a Deputy Speaker. I for one was hoping that she would be Lord’s Speaker but that was not to be. I must also commend her for her attendance however she only tends to speak on issues relating the war widows she is patron of a related organisation. I wish we heard more of her. (a hint to get her on the blog. What work do peers do in the evening can you give us a typical evening for yourself. As the evenings are not the time for meetings and your post should have all gone, do you write speeches and table your amendments if the tabling office is still open. Can you table amendments to bills online? I have also noticed that Baroness Carnegy walked into the chamber the other day with a walking stick, not something I usually see of her as she normally marches round the chamber unaided I do hope she is not in ill health.
I think peer 2 is Baroness Greengross, and the charity concerned is Age Concern, although I can’t find any reference to some of the other clues you give.
The Baroness has the distinction of being one of the few peers without her own Wikipedia page!
Jonathan: That looks good. I’ve managed to find her listed as a linguist & industrialist. She founded (’81) and is Sec. General of Eurolink Age and is best known for Age Concern as you say.
(Sheep away – except we seem to have gained one of someone else’s sheep :-/ )
Jonathan: Well done. It is indeed Baroness Greengross. She is best known for her leadership of Age Concern. She is also founder and patron of Action on Elder Abuse.
Joint honours, then, to Steph and Jonathan.
A very good question yesterday by Baroness Trumpington on Canada geese. As ever she delievered it in her formidable style
I was also very pleased to see that Lady Trumpington’s performance was reviewed:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1153663/QUENTIN-LETTS-He-rose-Lady-Trumpington-The-fool.html
Gawd Bless ‘Er!
Howridiculous.
I agree and for once the review did her credit!
Tory Boy: I am not sure there is a typical evening, certainly not in my case. I work on a range of things, including speeches, amendments, e-mail and paper correspondence, academic work (such as teaching on the MA in Legislative Studies Online) and replying to comments on the blog.
Perhaps for the moment I had better not encourage Baroness Fookes to contribute to the blog in case she researches the comments already made and sees your opening observation!
On amendments, it is possible to submit them electronically, though I think the Public Bill Office prefer them to be submitted in person. I always submit mine in person, since it is easier to discuss face to face with officials in the Office any queries that they may have.
Just passing thru again … I do so enjoy periodically popping into this unique ‘blogo-sphere’… Lady Trumpington sounds like a fine old bird, a real Trumpeter, so to speak …
I do not mean to hijack this thread, but I was inspired to swing around again after just watching a very engaging film about Lord Wilberforce, Slave Trade Abolitionist, entitled ‘Amazing Grace’. I was particularly struck by the resilence of one man in the face of overwhelming odds. His ‘campaign’ in the House was very long – near a decade. It dang near killed him. But he did eventually succeed by the strength of his moral convictions. Recommend it to you all – ‘Amazing Grace’.
It struck me, in resonating afterthought, that what we ALL kind of needing in the global hemisphere about now is a FEW GOOD MEN & WOMEN of similiar character who will do the SAME AGAIN. In essence, raise the global standard that ONE human life is ALWAYS more important then sheer PROFIT. This ‘thought’ must permeate through the banking systems, it must permeate thru those who abuse human labour at home & abroad, it must permeate thru the electronics of the traders desk.
Imagine how DIFFERENT the world would be if the primary MOTIVATING thought was the ‘Sacredness of Life’, not the Almighty Buck ….
And yes, it would be interesting to hear a few more of the Ladies voice their views here …