I promised to alert readers when the Government eventually got round to consulting on the future of the edited version of the electoral register. As you may recall, I got a response from a minister earlier this year saying it was intended to commence the consultation before the summer recess. The commitment then changed to holding it…
It is twenty years since the television cameras were admitted to the House of Commons. Be ready to take issue with stories reporting that it is twenty years since ‘parliamentary broadcasting’ began. The House of Commons was catching up with the House of Lords, which had admitted the cameras in 1985. Indeed, there was a programme, ‘Their…
The use of hereditary peerages meant that some peers entered the House at a very young age. Indeed, some succeeded to their titles while they were minors and thus before being entitled to take their seats. The consequence was not only that the House had some young members but that it also had some long-serving…
As I sat listening to the aspirational measures contained in the Queen’s Speech yesterday, the only measure that appeared to be missing was a Bill to abolish sin. Perhaps that will come later.
The House has begun five days of debate on the Queen’s Speech. I have been sat in the chamber listening to today’s debate, which focuses on foreign and European affairs, international development and defence. Though different topics are allocated to each day, the five days of debate are deemed to constitute one debate on the…
