Yesterday’s debate on a motion to take note of the case for reform of the House of Lords occupied almost nine hours with sixty-seven speakers. Many speakers, myself included, distinguished between reform and destruction. Getting rid of the House of Lords is not reform of the House. Most of us who spoke favour reform in order to strengthen the…
A number of peers have said things which have entered the dictionaries of quotations. Baroness Thatcher is an especially good example, primarily when she was Prime Minister (‘You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning’, ‘There is no such thing as society’, ‘No, No, No’). This week’s quiz tests your knowledge of what…
Some colleagues are complaining that their in-boxes are being clogged with invitations to join particular all-party groups. Many are established groups being re-formed in the new Parliament and others are new creations. I have previously written about the growth in the number of such groups. Such groups can form a useful purpose in providing a…
Today is the first day of the committee stage of the Academies Bill. The only other Government Bill starting in the Lords is the Local Government Bill. As a result, time is being utilised to debate select committee reports and motions by back-benchers. Some members look forward to more legislation coming forward in order to ensure it is effectively…
This week’s quiz relates to popular culture. There are some leading figures in the arts and entertainment who sit in the House of Lords, including Melvyn Bragg (Lord Bragg) and Andrew Lloyd-Webber (Lord Lloyd-Webber). Melvyn Bragg once hosted an episode of the South Bank Show in which he interviewed the crime writer Ruth Rendell and…
