Here’s a question (or rather two questions) for all our readers. Who is the member of the House of Lords that you most admire? And why?
I thought this would be an interesting question to pose as it is one that anyone with some knowledge of the Lords – presumably most if not all of our readers – can answer. Answering the second question is also important as it may help us gain some idea of what it is about the House, or at least about peers, that interests readers.
In order to avoid any accusations of self-interest (not that I wish to suggest that anyone would think of nominating us anyway), please exclude those of us of who contribute to the blog.
Gulp! Hard to know where to start, it’s a bit like picking your favourite chocolate or film. Not that peers are like either: – or at least they don’t melt in the sun and the old ones aren’t black and white 😀
Admired is such a hard thing to quantify, I rather admired the late Lord Longford even though I disagreed with what he said and did most of the time. There was/is something admirable though in doggedly doing what you believe (rightly or wrongly) despite the ridicule.
I’ll try an have a good think and come up with a better answer than the above.
Lord Rix was the first to spring to mind, for his services to MENCAP. I’m also old enough to remember his very funny performances. A one-off, so he has my vote.
Baroness Trumpington because she sums up everything that is great about Britain she is part a battle axe part joker and part serious politician a marvellous lady. My favourite politician though is Baroness Thatcher for making Britain great again after the Labour Party nearly wrote Britain off.
I’m with Tory Boy on both Lady Ts and for similar reasons.
I have to say, and no offence to the Barons, Earls, Dukes etc, but I think the female peers are a pretty impressive bunch: Lady Fookes, Lady Gibson of Market Rasen, Lady Hooper, Lady Knight, Lady O’Cathain, Lady Miller of Hendon to name but a few are all absolutely first rate. Not only do they look wonderful but they are very professional and conscientious in their duties.
As for the male peers, I admire very much Lord Denham, Earl Ferrers and The Earl of Onslow as representatives of the old hereditary class of selfless service to the public. I also think they would make marvellous guest bloggers.
Howridiculous.
Hmm.. I would second Lord Rix, to be honest – he has done sterling work over a number of years, and he is a jolly decent, humorous chap to boot.
Other than that, Lord Ramsbotham is an unsung hero for working in the rather ‘cinderella’ world of being Chief Inspector of Prisons, and being an advocate for people who often have few friends, and for whom public opinion and the tabloids rarely have a good word.
howridiculous I agree what about Baroness Carnegy of Lour, and Baroness Gardner of Parks. As for male peers Lord Elton, Lord Baker. My all time favourite male peer the late Lord Renton he was something special.
Earl of Onslow, seconded, just because he exists.
Still checking out Lord Ramsbotham, but anybody who can bother with the hell of our prison services is worth seconding.
Lord Onslow may perhaps have made me smile more often by his comments in the chamber than many other peers – whether all his comments were wise is another matter 🙂
“The Earl of Onslow: I know that there was a frightful row in the Oxford and Cambridge Club, although I am too stupid to have gone to university”
I think an honourable mention ought to go to Earl Ferrers for possibly the best questions to a minister – (Gender Recognition Bill)
“Earl Ferrers:…I hope the Minister will answer…What happens if an earl has a sex change? If Earl Dodger has a sex change, does he become a countess, in which case there will then be two Countess Dodgers? Or does he remain as an earl although he masquerades as a woman? As the earl has changed from being a male to a female, what happens to the title? Does Viscount Chump suddenly inherit the earldom and become an earl as the earldom is apparently vacant? That does not seem right because you would then have two earls. What happens if Countess Dodger, on the other hand, changes sex and becomes a man? What does she become? Does she become Earl Dodger, so that there are two earls?” 🙂
However, I think my actual pick is an obvious one but I’ll also add a second more unusual choice. Neither for their politics but for their decisions. Lord Carrington a decorated ww2 soldier who had a distinguished political career either side of perhaps one of the last honourable political resignations.
The other is Lord Selkirk of Douglas. This is really for one decision. In 1994 Lord James Douglas Hamilton was an MP in the fast imploding Major Government. On the death of his cousin, and due to the oddest peerage special remainder in existence, he found himself the probable Earl of Selkirk. His succession would cut the tiny government majority so he gave up (disclaimed) his title and the inheritance to stay in the Commons even though he must have had a fair idea he would lose his seat at the next election. It would have seemed a very easy decision to escape the Commons bloodshed for the Lords.
Lord Stoddard, for his unstinting efforts to hold the government to account for their deceit over the extent of the power held over us by th EU government
Lord Lester or Herne Hill: He is an absolutely tireless mini-constitution for the protection of rights which, due to the lack of a decent constitution, are constantly under attack by Lord Tebbit, Bishop Rochester and others who would crush our liberty given half the chance.
Sorry, having typed that last post in a bit of a hurry…
I should, of course, have referred to Lord Ramsbotham ‘having worked..’ as Chief Inspector of Prisons.
Hmmm.. Is Douglas Hurd kicking about “our lordships’ house” ?
I guess he must be – he has done some good work as Foreign Sec – and certainly has a lot more ‘bottom’ than some of the lightweights who have occupied that great office of state..