Category Archives: Baroness Murphy

The Demon Drink

01/09/2010 – 5:39 pm

I like a drink, especially good wine. I recently gave up alcohol for ten days after returning from Italy, an annual penance that I feel does me good. I find alcohol a relaxant, makes me feel convivial and an instant endorphin producer. And I’d better own up to the fact that I once owned half [...]

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Leaving the Lords permanently

23/08/2010 – 2:10 pm

No, not me, well not yet…
Lady Deech mentioned the rumours that are flying around in one of her blogs so I thought I’d keep you up to date about what’s happening. During a debate on reform of the House of Lords, on Tuesday 29 June, Lord Strathclyde announced he would be setting up a Leaders’ [...]

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The Graduate Tax

11/08/2010 – 10:04 pm

I see the coalition is beginning to favour the graduate tax solution to funding universities. I have grave doubts about it even though the principle of a graduate contribution or graduate tax is a welcome development on the surface. It has the support of students and student leaders and on the face of it is a [...]

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So Unlike our Own Dear Coalition

03/08/2010 – 5:05 pm

Here I am again in Italy trying hard to fathom out how the Italian legislature actually functions! We are now 5 days into a confusing political crisis that Italians themselves have great difficulty fathoming out. Gianfranco Fini, a towering figure in Italian politics, labeled years ago as a neo-conservative far right winger, and President (Speaker) [...]

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Badgers

17/07/2010 – 1:01 pm

Bedd Gelert snuck in a little note on the failed proposal for a Welsh badger cull to Lord Norton’s last so I thought I’d take this opportunity to respond. I have more the average fondness for badgers because I once played one! The role of Badger in Wind in the Willows was my first starring [...]

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