Author Archives: Baroness Murphy

The Financial Privilege Amendment

Baroness Murphy 02/02/2012 – 1:50 pm

Yesterday afternoon in the Commons, just before the debate on the Lords’ Amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill, the Speaker announced  “I must draw the House’s attention to the fact that financial privilege is involved in a substantial number of Lords amendments. If the House agrees to these amendments, I shall ensure that the appropriate entry [...]

The Benefit Cap and Child Support

Baroness Murphy 27/01/2012 – 2:10 pm

No-one who has been reading this blog for a while will be surprised that I voted with the Government on the Benefit Cap last Monday night and also for the Changes to the Child Support Agency on Wednesday. There is however a good case for compromise on the benefit cap in one respect. The cap is [...]

Welfare Reform Again

Baroness Murphy 13/01/2012 – 11:53 am

Lord Norton has referred to the Welfare Reform Bill defeats in the Lords, which I’ve been giving some considerable thought to. I voted with the Government against the amendment by Baroness Meacher to continue ESA for young disabled people who have resources of their own to support them and have not contributed to what is [...]

Launch of Report on Assisted Dying

Baroness Murphy 05/01/2012 – 12:53 pm

Ah, a half hour pause in front of the computer after doing 16 local radio interviews this morning about the launch today of our report from the Commission on Assisted Dying, on which I served.  A very sympathetic response overall but we’ve also had the predictable  responses from two ends of the debate from individuals [...]

Happy New Year

Baroness Murphy 30/12/2011 – 10:20 am

I am not a believer but I love a good sing-along carol service by candlelight with all the traditional carols and hymns, a local schoolboy doing his solo out of tune and readings from the King James version of the Bible. This year we once again gathered in our tiny medieval village church and as [...]