Category Archives: Lord Lipsey

Class politics

Lord Lipsey 20/09/2011 – 12:33 pm

As I enter my fortieth year working in or around Westminster, the political scene superficially resembles that which existed when I first arrived. But underneath , the tectonic plates have shifted. And for this there is one overwhelming reason. It is the decline of class as the central determinant of political parties,,party politics and electoral behavior. This is not the place to analyse in d […]

Written at 12:33 pm on 20/09/2011, by Lord Lipsey

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Pricey Peers

Lord Lipsey 22/06/2011 – 4:31 pm

Some people are for turning the House of Lords from an appointed to an elected House of Lords, and some are against. The arguments bat to and fro; but one has so far received virtually no attention: the cost of the government’s proposals for election.  In the first five years reform could end up costing £433million, according to my detailed calculations. That’s enough for 80,000 hip replacem […]

Written at 4:31 pm on 22/06/2011, by Lord Lipsey

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Peer pressure

Lord Lipsey 13/06/2011 – 3:10 pm

  When I start my Lords’day at 7.00 am or so, there is nothing more irritating than reading yet another press story saying we peers just pop in to collect our £300 daily expenses. It is particularly galling when it appears in the Sunday Times, where I worked for six happy years, and which reported on Sunday that “provided that they "clock on" with Lords officials, peers do not need to pro […]

Written at 3:10 pm on 13/06/2011, by Lord Lipsey

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lords reform

Lord Lipsey 10/03/2008 – 5:09 pm

I am in favour of very radical reform of the Lords, its arcane and inefficient procedures, a statutory appointments commission, the end of hereditaries, the eviction of criminals and tax evaders and much more taking of evidence and less speechifying. The only reform to which I am wholly opposed is election.

Written at 5:09 pm on 10/03/2008, by Lord Lipsey

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quiet times

Lord Lipsey 24/01/2008 – 3:17 pm

To the outside world the Lords may look quiet at the moment. We had one exciting vote this week as involved sex, something we Lords enjoy talking about the alternative at our time of life being rare: namely whether gay couples should be discriminated against for IVF. But generally votes have been sparse and controversy limited. However, beneath the serene surface, we ducks are still paddling. I ha […]

Written at 3:17 pm on 24/01/2008, by Lord Lipsey

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