Hot news! I have just had a reply from the indefatigable House of Lords Library team giving me the most recent breakdown of Peer’s ages. There are just 2 under the age of 40 and 29 over the age of 90, though by my count 12 of the latter are amongst those who have “taken…
Readers may remember that I wrote recently of the ludicrous system for replacing my late Liberal Democrat colleague, Robert Methuen, who sadly died this summer. Despite a choice of some thirteen Conservatives and Crossbenchers, the forces of convention did manage to elect a Liberal Democrat. Our new colleague will be Raymond Asquith, otherwise known as…
Thought for the day: how come powerful vacuum cleaners have to be restricted by agreement of Europe’s Governments – not, of course, just by the European Commission – while powerful cars have no such constriction? Could it be that those Governments are male dominated, and cars are “boys’ toys”, while those same politicians don’t…
Over the weekend, a number of Conservative and Labour parliamentarians, from both ends of the building, were moaning and groaning about the arrival of 22 new Peers. Some were complaining that Conservative Party donors were included; some were querying whether Liberal Democrat activists were sufficiently august; some were griping that there were insufficient numbers of…
The so-called “Silly Season” seems endless in Westminster. The sad death last month of my Liberal Democrat colleague Lord (Robert) Methuen – alongside whom I often shared the furthest backbench corner seat and enjoyed his erudite company – has sparked the most ludicrous farce. Let me explain. An official green four-page notice, announcing the resulting…
