It is usual, but not automatic, for former Cabinet ministers to be elevated to the Lords. Many who sit in the House are active contributors to the work of the House. Some have been drawn on to sit on the front benches, some chair select committees and many are regular contributors to debate. This week’s quiz is to identify some former Cabinet members.
Question 1
1. My early career was as a journalist on The Times.
2. Margaret Thatcher once said that when people like me rebel, you know you are in trouble.
3. I chair a select committee.
Who am I?
Question 2
1. I was, for part of my Cabinet career, the ‘Cabinet enforcer’.
2. I chaired a joint committee of both Houses that had important implications for the Lords.
Who am I?
Question 3
1. I am a former Leader of the House of Commons.
2. I returned to Govermment in the Lords as a junior minister.
Who am I?
As usual, the first two readers to supply the correct answers will be the winners.
1) lord fowler
2) Lord Cunningham of Felling
3) Taylor of Bolton
1. Lord Fowler
2. Lord Cunningham of Felling
3. Baroness Taylor of Bolton
Congratulations to Croft and Jonathan, who add to their list of successes in the quiz. I thought this week’s quiz may be a little more difficult than those of recent weeks. The answers are indeed Lord Fowler, Lord Cunningham of Felling, and Baroness Taylor of Bolton.
The first question this week was a bit tricky. And I still can’t find a source for the quote you give.
I’m quite disappointed not to see answers from Gareth Howell, I must say!
Not wanting to blow my own trumpet and all that, but I do believe that’s three wins x2 now! I didn’t expect to win this week, answering mid-afternoon!
Jonathan: The source for the quote is Margaret Thatcher, “The Downing Street Years”, p. 440. I was just adding your name and that of Croft to my list of winners and realised that you are, indeed, a grand-prize winner – again. An invitation to return to the Lords for tea will be on its way shortly. Congratulations.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8412746.stm
This sounds interesting Lord Norton…
Although I think if you are in an establishment like the House of Lords, you cannot always expect it to be ‘pc’ and modern as surely that would rather miss the point ?
Bedd Gelert: See the latest post by Baroness Deech. I take the view that spouses/civil partners of peers (at least future creations) should either have no prefix or, for the purpose of equity, should be entitled to ‘The Honourable’.
I’ll post a fuller reply with Lady Deech but the hon is not equity Lord Norton since it is not the ‘equal’ of the partners title. If anything it adds to the confusion.
On a slightly tongue in cheek note, are the children of some peers in the ‘cash for coronets’ scandal expecting some deference from me, because they are styled ‘The Hon..’ ?
The Lords has much to recommend it, but much of this social stratification really does appear to me to belong to a bygone age.
Wouldn’t you agree ?
That’s quite a funny anecdote from Baroness Trumpington, although unless you’re staying at Fawlty Towers, signing in under different names is unlikely to raise any eyebrows these days.
I’ve already replied to Baroness Deech, but even Lord Norton’s proposal wouldn’t have solved Baroness Trumpington’s problem as they’d still have been Baroness Trumpington and the Hon William Barker.
Dear Lord Norton,
Thanks for reminding me of that wonderful line of Lady Thatcher’s about Norman Fowler. I wonder if any of your readers know her line about John Gummer, which was equally marvellous.
Howridiculous.
howridiculous: I am familiar with her line about the nightwatchman, but it will be interesting to see if other readers recall it.
I had assumed it was: “I had appointed him as a sort of nightwatchman, but he seemed to have to sleep on the job”
Do we actually know how many peers have or plan to have civil partners – so few I imagine we could ask them individually their preferred option…
Croft: I didn’t have in mind equity with the partner’s title but equity between spouses/civil partners.