There are various well-known quotes about Parliament and about each House, though some of the quotations are not what they seem. Many people think the phrase ‘the mother of Parliaments’ refers to Parliament itself. Bright coined the phrase but he described England as the mother of Parliaments. This week, the quiz is on quotations. As usual, the first two readers to supply the correct answers will be the winners.
1. Who referred to the House of Lords as ‘Mr Balfour’s poodle’? And when?
2. Which 19th Century writer said: ‘The use of the House of Lords, or rather, of the Lords, in its dignified capacity – is very great. It does not attract such reverence as the Queen, but it attracts very much’?
3. Which 20th Century politician said of the Lords: ‘It is not for anything; it is just like an oak tree. You don’t ask what an oak tree is for, do you?’
4. Which politician is alleged to have said: ‘The House of Lords is like a glass of champagne that has stood for five days’?
1. David Lloyd George / Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor referred to the House of Lords as “Mr. Balfour’s poodle” in 1908.
2. The great Walter Bagehot.
3. Enoch Powell
4. Clement Attlee / 1st Earl Attlee
1. David Lloyd George, 26th June 1907
2. Walter Bagehot
3.
4. Clement Attlee
Still working on #3
3. Enoch Powell.
1. Lloyd George in 1908 “It fetches and carries for him, it barks for him, it bites anyone he sets it on to.”
2. Walter Bagehot, in The English Constitution.
3. Enoch Powell. It was quoted in 2007 in the Commons by Edward Leigh.
4. Clement Attlee.
A fair bit easier than the last quiz, and now I have Mr Balfour’s Poodle by Roy Jenkins to add to my reading list.
Have you got your Enoch Powell quote wrong? Now I know what I’m looking for, most of the references say “It just is, like an oak tree”.
1) David Lloyd George
2) Walter Bagehot
3) Enoch Powell
4) Clement Attlee
Much easier to google this week’s – hopefully correctly too.
Which 19th Century writer said: ‘The use of the House of Lords, or rather, of the Lords, in its dignified capacity – is very great. It does not attract such reverence as the Queen, but it attracts very much’?
And Hansard Society (not Reporters; it’s a trade) will see to that.
3. Which 20th Century politician said of the Lords: ‘It is not for anything; it is just like an oak tree. You don’t ask what an oak tree is for, do you?’
What a feeble remark! Talk to a timber merchant or a cabinet maker!
4. Which politician is alleged to have said: ‘The House of Lords is like a glass of champagne that has stood for five days’?
Off and no fizz whatsoever.
Technically the Prime Minister is a cabinet maker. Putting one together is one of his earliest jobs when taking up the office, and then he has to occasionally refurbish it.
Technically the Prime Minister is a cabinet maker. Putting one together is one of his earliest jobs when taking up the office, and then he has to occasionally refurbish it
Unfortunately this one is a mere carpenter working with cheap nails and they will soon drop out!!!
If a Lib Dem/Labour cabinet maker comes along we would be able to produce something fine from the trees planted three hundred years ago, designed by a modern breed of politician.
I stand by my 1907 date, despite the two quoting 1908. My evidence is Hansard for that year:
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1907/jun/26/house-of-lords#S4V0176P0_19070626_HOC_294
It baffled me then and it baffles me now how anybody could make such a feeble remark, about oak trees.
People who own woodland, antique and furniture traders… vast numbers of people have a very clear idea of what Oak trees are for.
Oak woodlands have the clearest purpose imaginable. They are a diminishing resource, and, though I say so myself, it is the ancient aristocracy who do the most (ok! Ok! I admit it!) to ensure their regeneration for precisely the purposes of trade mentioned above. I have huge admiration for the Countess of (Dorset) who is planting several thousand acres of broadleafed mixed woodland, including oak, for greater bio-diversity.
We all know how limited the understanding of the Hon Member is, but he surely has no need to demonstrate it any further by quoting Enoch aPowel’s worst gaffe of all.
They are planted trees! Some of them planted by human artifice, three hundred years ago.
I concede to Dave H on the Lloyd George quotation. Good job finding the Hansard for that exchange.
@Lord Norton:
I am unable to post on personal blog. It won’t allow me.
However, to clarify the translation is:
‘The wine is forty years old. It certainly doesn’t show its age.’
Not as croft appears to suggest, with a word I am not familiar with.