Titles are a subject of contention (should a peerage carry a right to a seat in the upper house?) and of confusion. To illustrate the last point let me open with an admission. I am not Lord Norton! I am Lord Norton of Louth. When I became a peer, there was (and still is) a…
I shall be in Brussels tomorrow visiting the European Parliament. Most of my visits are normally in a parliamentary capacity, though this visit is primarily for academic purposes. Brussels is handy for Eurostar, though the split site for the EP (Brussels and Strasbourg), with MEPs decanting to Strasbourg for a week each month, remains a…
Are referendums a good or bad idea? We had lengthy discussions in the Lords on the issue when the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill was before the House. Parliament has legislated for referendums in different parts of the UK and they have been promised by political parties on different issues. The question of a…
Thanks to Amy Hopkinson for drawing my attention yesterday to the G2 section of the Guardian. Stephen Moss has written about this blog. I’m not sure that the author quite knows what he is letting himself in for when he writes: ‘Lord Norton has grasped the key rule of successful blogging: write about yourself.’ I…
The work of the House of Lords should not be confused with sittings of the House. A great deal of work takes place in committees – indeed, committee work can be much more time consuming that participating in debates in the chamber – and in peers’ offices. Committee work entails not only attending meetings but…
