This was an interesting question yesterday: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101207-0001.htm#10120738000510 It arose from Sinn Fein’s reluctance to take their seats when required to take the oath in its present form. http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/oath-of-allegiance/ I have been aware of this issue for many years. Many Scottish nationalists don’t like it and neither do those who feel we should be a republic. This matter should not…
‘All politicians are liars’. Or are they? It’s a difficult pitch to defend in the present climate but in my long experience I think most politicians are no more or less truthful then the average person. What a politician says is very often recorded either by the media or by Hansard. So unless you are…
Bloggers might enjoy this exchange on economic and political history between myself and Lord Brooke following the statement on the Financial Forecast: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101129-0001.htm#10112928000194 Lord Soley: The noble Lord might consider recommending to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that this Statement be submitted for the Booker Prize for creative literature. It really is rather strange. In repeating…
I went to Faringdon Community College http://www.fcc.oxon.sch.uk/ on Friday as part of the Peers Outreach Prograame. The College has a specialist status in engineering and appears to be doing very well. I always ask how many students have looked at Lords of the Blog – alas all too few! maybe this entry will increase the number! The…
As Lord Norton points out below the government experienced another defeat on Tuesday. There are very real concerns across the floor of the House about the way the Government is giving Ministers power to wind up, change or even sell off QUANGOS without going through a proper Parliamentary process. It is a classic case of…
