….is coming to an end after four years. I have learnt so much about the workings of the House and hope this will stand me in good stead for the role of Lord Speaker which I will take up formally on 1st September.
In the last three years or so I have blogged (not all that regularly) on the job of Convenor and what it has entailed, on procedures in the Chamber, on various aspects of legislation and above all on House of Lords Reform. In addition I have from time to time issued thoughts on hate speech, human rights more generally and overseas aid. My impression is that most of you bloggers out there are more interested in domestic issues than in foreign affairs ….. I could be wrong.
Anyhow I am blogging now to sign out, as it were. As Lord Speaker I am obliged not to express partisan political views. This I accept since I will in some formal sense be representing the whole House, regardless of party affiliation and at the same time occupying a distinctly non-political position. The last four years as Cross Bench Convenor – ie of the non-party peers – have been good practice.
The Lord Speaker has two main tasks, to protect and uphold the reputation and the security of the House of Lords. Some have argued since the inception of the role in 2006 that the role is merely a ceremonial one and as such should be honorary. However, this is to ignore the outreach that the current Lord Speaker (Baroness Hayman) has undertaken with schools, universities, women’s and special interest groups and many other organisations. There is too an overseas dimension in that the speakers of parliaments within and without the Commonwealth wish to initiate and maintain connections with the Westminster Parliament via the Lord Speaker. This is more than ceremonial in that the sharing of experience and custom undoubtedly spreads democratic procedures (and I can already hear the protest from those of you who believe that the House of Lords is as yet undemocratic!). Above all the House of Lords as a legislative chamber requires a spokesperson, or even figurehead, if it is to be represented. I will continue this tradition of outreach and contribute whenever and wherever possible to enhancing the reputation of the House of Lords, with the help of an immensely experienced body of Clerks.
Lords of the Blog is a wonderful initiative if only because it allows a direct communication between working peers and the wider public – although it is clear that bloggers on this site are probably a pretty select lot! The stalwarts of this intiative – and here I am thinking of peers such as Lord Norton – have kept it going, hats off to them.
It may be that the managers of this site will invite me to blog on another occasion and I will gladly do that. Meanwhile I wish you all happy blogging times and a continuing interest in House of Lords matters.
Sorry to see you leave us…
Still… Peer -> Convenor -> Lord Speaker whatever next you’re goal of world domination is obviously well in hand 😉
You could always blog about the workings of the House and little bits of arcane ritual that exist. That ought to be impartial enough, and help educate those of us on the outside.
Having done Lord Norton’s tour, I know more than I did, having seen the corridors used for voting and some of what goes on in the chamber, but I’m sure there is much more. If there’s an explanation as to why some things happen, that would also be good.
You have, after all, established that you can type…
May I begin by wishing you the best of luck in your new role.
The Cross-benchers is a uniquely British institution of non-partisan legislators who are experts in their own field. Countries who have consiously modelled their Upper House (Canada’ Senate and the appointed component of India’s Rajya Sabha) have not been able to create the equivalent of the Cross Benchers in their legislatures. I believe that you have led the Cross Benchers through some very unusual times and am sure and confident that you will lead the House equally well through the turbulent times ahead (with the alleged reform of the House of Lords).
Lords of the blog sees it as a responsibility to have an archaic blog board, so that people who post do not know they have done so, for some days, by which time the new blogger has completely forgotten that he has done the blogging! Otherwise it is fine.
My own view of the responsibilities of Lord Baroness speaker is that the overseas and NON commonwealth dimension is important.
There are a good many countries which have Presidencies, whether executive or non-executive, where we would be better served by an official visit from a UK president, rather than a Royal one.
The embarrassment of the President of France or the USA having to remind the PM, that he is merely the Prime minister, is far too obvious far too often. Having a president of parliament for ceremonial duties, at home and abroad, goes a long way to ameliorate such
international confusion.
May the noble baroness enjoy the responsibility on which she noticeably thrives. I hope ‘Society’
will proffer my note, upon his silver plate if I ask, as an honourable gentleman, to intercede.
Thank you all so much for the good wishes – there will be events that show the House of Lords in a somewhat different light from time to time and I will certainly blog on those occasions.
One upcoming example is the Commonwealth Youth Parliament which will hold a debate in the Chamber on 9 September. Watch this space!
Baroness D’Souza,
I wish you the best with your new enterprise. It has been a long time but I appreciated our exchanges and will remember them…
Good Luck!
Noble baroness’ comment about the number of respondents to the blog may conceal the fact of the number of Lurkers and users of the wisdom of their noble lords expressed here.
The blog is frequently refered to in the press,
which can only entail that lurkers lurk but do not correspond, at least not here.
Even in Members of the Second chamber only corresponded with each other, it would still be read.
I am glad to be able to correspond and exchange ideas , about government and politics, before getting on with the gardening!