This week’s quiz questions.
1. Baroness Ashton of Upholland is serving as a European Commissioner. Which other members of the House of Lords have preceded her as members of the Commission?
2. Who was the first female convenor of the cross-bench peers?
1. Lords Mandelson, Patten of Barnes, Brittan of Spennithorne and Kinnock are the ones that come to mind.
2. Baroness Hylton-Foster, who was only the second person to hold the position.
1) Err quite a few I think: Lords Kinnock, Mandleson, Brittan, Pattern, Clinton-Davis, Soames, Cockfield, Thomson of Monifieth, Tugendhat, Richard & Jenkins. (depending if you meant present members or deceased members as well.)
2) Lady Hylton-Foster wife of the Commons Speaker Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
Question 1:
Lord Tugendhat
Lord Richard
Lord Clinton-Davis
Lord Brittan of Spennithorne
Lord Kinnock
Lord Patten of Barnes
Lord Mandelson
Baroness Ashton
Question 2:
Baroness Hylton-Foster
Croft: I was thinking of current members of the House who have served as Commissioners.
The honours this week go to Croft, who got in first with the seven peers (in addition to Baroness Ashton) who have been Commissioners, and to Rob, who spelled all the names correctly!
Unlike the Lords-of-the-Blog the Commoners-of-the-Blog don’t have a shiny edit button when they notice their errors 😉
Btw does the Convenor of the Cross-Bench Peers serve a ‘term’ or for as long as they like unless challenged?
Croft: I fear we don’t have a shiny edit button for our responses to comments (it shows on occasion!). Yes, the convenor serves for a set term. The cross-bench peers have their own set of election rules for selecting the convenor.
Croft, as Philip Norton has replied the convenor of the crossbenchers has a four year term with a renewal vote after two years. The last Convenor, Lord Williamson of Horton, chose to serve for three years only.
The election is pretty simple – all those who have an interest in their names going forward inform the peer, Lord Colville of Culross, who oversees elections and their names go in the ballot. A simple majority prevails. As far as I know there has never been any challenge or need for a re-election in the case of a tie.
Lady Hylton-Foster served for many many years and it was only when she retired that rules on length of service were introduced.
Lord Norton: How unusual, you look to have a conventional Posts Edit SubPanel on your administration dashboard to edit posts.
baronessdsouza: I can’t but suspect the fact it’s a simple majority is a relief for everyone – the Lord Speakers voting seems a touch excessive. I hadn’t thought of a tie; has cutting a pack of cards, drawing straws or tossing a coin (as per other UK election ties) been frowned upon then!
Croft: I can edit posts but not comments.