Andrew Lansley’s Commons statement on the Government’s decision to pause and think further on the Health and Social Care Bill was read in our Chamber by Earl Howe this evening, a sensible decision given the political noise. Lady Thornton doesn’t like it, very few people like it. I may prove to be the only person in Parliament…
Last night, we had just had our first vote on the Pensions Bill, narrowly won by the Government. (The main point of the Pensions Bill is to move both sexes to a state pension age of 66. This will happen over a 5-6 year period and was planned in principle by the former government. The…
Lord Norton has already commented on the Government defeat over the abolition of the Youth Justice Board. I was one of the Crossbenchers who voted against the Government. The debate was seriously interesting, see http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/110328-0001.htm#1103289000828. I went into the Chamber quite prepared to vote with the Government on the basis that the YJB had largely…
When there’s a big bill coming up, like the Health and Social Care Bill, progressing in stately fashion through its committee stages in the Commons at the moment, there are numerous briefings and meetings organised to hear the views of the various groups of ‘stakeholders’ who may be affected by the bill. Baroness Thornton, an…
I don’t ‘do’ foreign policy. If ever I get the urge to pontificate in the chamber about our role in the World’s business I gaze around me at the many and various people whose experience is greater than mine and decide to keep my mouth shut. But I am incensed about Libya….we should stay out…
