Every time someone says it can’t get any worse – it does! Many of us knew that hacking was more extensive then the press was admitting but you could never prove it. I didn’t think it would have happened in these horrific murder cases. I would have hoped common human decency would have prevailed. I think…
‘It’s The Sun Wot Won It’ was the headline in the Sun following the 1992 General election. I think my revised version applies to Alex Salmond becoming a born again Monarchist! Take this extract from an interview with Salmond: ‘Alex Salmond, the first minister of Scotland has just given a gushing interview about the Queen…
On Wednesday, the House will be invited to approve the motion appointing the peers who are to serve on the Joint Committee on the draft House of Lords Reform Bill. The names of the nominees in both Houses have now been published. I have listed them here. The natute of the measure has resulted in…
On Thursday we had a statement in the House of Lords about the News Corporation and BSkyB merger. The debate reminded me of Denis Healy’s advice to stop digging when you are in a hole. The Minister explained all the rules that would ensure that BSkyB would remain financially and editorially independent. Yet each questioner asserted…
Yesterday we crossbenchers elected a new crossbench convenor to replace Baroness d’Souza, who has decided to retire from the role. She has done a magnificent job. It’s a full time commitment with few resources. It’s a difficult role because all the crossbenchers are strongly independent and rarely share a common view on bills. So it’s…
I think the Government is flying on a wing and a prayer with their determination not to re visit the Strategic Defence Review. It was carried out soon after the Government took office and it was done with indecent haste but the retrenchment of the western powers, the financial problems and the instability in the…
There are six candidates to succeed Baroness Hayman as Lord Speaker. They are: Lord Colwyn (Con), Lord Desai (Lab), Baroness D’Souza (cross-bench), Lord Goodlad (Con), Baroness Harris of Richmond (Lib Dem), and Lord Redesdale (Lib Dem). Each has issued an election address (limited to 75 words). Three (Colwyn, Desai and Redesdale) stress the self-regulating nature…
An article in the Guardian today by Lords Adonis and Tyler about the true nature of the House of Lords today is worth reading. I’m afraid their descriptions of current peers are well observed. That’s why we shouldn’t fear an elected second chamber. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/26/lords-reform-overdue
There was a question on child poverty last Thursday and I came in on the issue of Baby Bonds or the Child Trust Fund to give its proper title. I think the abolition of Baby Bonds was one of the governments worst acts in the area of child poverty. Baby Bonds were awarded to all new born…
