This week’s quiz focuses on Liberal Democrat peers. There are currently 72 Liberal Democrats in the House, led by Lord McNally. The picture includes one of their most prominent members, former Cabinet minister Baroness Williams of Crosby. As usual, the first two readers to provide the correct answers will be the winners. I have tried to include some easy and some not-so-easy questions, so feel free to attempt those you think you know the answer to.
1. Which Liberal Democrat peer, a former MP, spent some years teaching at Stockholm University?
2. Which Liberal Democrat peer has chaired North Yorkshire County Council and is a Deputy Lieutenant of the County?
3. Which Liberal Democrat peer, educated at Cambridge and Harvard Law School, was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn and also called to the Bar of Northern Ireland? He served as a special adviser to a Home Secretary.
4. Which Liberal Democrat peer is presently disqualified from sitting because of another position she holds?
1) Lady Maddock
2) Harris of richmond
3) Lester of Herne Hill
4) Baroness Ludford
2. Baroness Harris of Richmond
3. Lord Lester of Herne Hill
4. Baroness Ludford
1. Baroness Maddock
Far too late of course, but:
1. Baroness Maddock
2. Baroness Harris of Richmond
3. Lord Lester of Herne Hill
4. Baroness Ludford
Lord Norton
I am a student of West-European Studies from Prague. I must say I was delighted to read about your victory against Mr Johnson and Mr Bogdanor in the great debate. I consider you one of the greatest protectors of the common sense not only in the field of constitutional matters. I wonder whether there is a longer record of your encounters with Vernon Bogdanor? I understood your and his views on differ radically – did I get it right?
Sorry for the mistake. I mean what’s your attitude to Mr Bogdanor’s work on constitutional affairs and whether you can ever agree on some points he makes. Thank you very much in advance!
1. Baroness Maddock
2. Baroness Harris of Richmond
3. Baron Lester of Herne Hill
4. Baroness Ludford
Congratulations. Everyone who contributed supplied correct answers. Baroness Maddock spent some years teaching at Stockholm University. Baroness Harris of Richmond chaired North Yorkshire Council. Her title, of course, derives from Richmond in North Yorkshire and not Richmond, Surrey. Lord Lester of Herne Hill – Lord Lester of Human Rights as he is sometimes called – was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland as well as to the Bar of Lincoln’s Inn. He is a QC and a QC (Northern Ireland). Baroness Ludford is presently disqualified from sitting because she is a member of the European Parliament. There is a ban on the dual mandate, so one cannot sit concurrently in a national parliament and the European Parliament. We had to change the law to deal with the position of peers.
Croft and Rob got in first with a set of correct answers and are therefore this week’s winners. Commendations to Jana and RogerC who also supplied a full set of correct answers.
benjee1986: Many thanks for your comments. There isn’t a longer record of my exchanges the other week with Professor Bogdanor. We do agree on some things, but he tends to adopt a rather enthusiastic approach to constitutional reform, or some constitutional reform, which I do not share. As his latest book on the constitution indicates, he believes we are moving to a ‘new’coherent constitution. I rather share the view of Professor Anthony King, expressed in his recent book on the constitution, that it is more aptly characterised as a mess.