I am extremely grateful to all those who contributed to my earlier post on my Question for Short Debate (QSD) making the case for a Royal Commission on drug use and possession. The comments were notable for their quality as well as their quantity. My QSD was held last night, with all speakers bar the minister…
I gave evidence to the Public Administration Committee in the Commons last November as part of its inquiry into Smaller Government: what do ministers do? and was subsequently appointed as a specialist adviser to the committee in order to assist in the drafting of the report. The report has now been published, arguing that reducing…
No, this isn’t a post to encourage Lord Blagger. Yesterday, the House of Lords team won the Rehab annual Pancake Race. Held in Victoria Tower Gardens, the House of Lords team beat a team from the Commons and from the Parliamentary Press Gallery. The race is held to raise awareness of Rehab, a charity that supports…
It’s good to be back from America and thanks to all who commented on my observations from over there. I feel more comfortable here in our more caring society, which shows more concern for the needy. Especially at this time of economic turmoil and difficulty. People have a better chance of coping here – do you…
Last November, while visiting the archeological museum in Tripoli with a tour group I was approached by a camera crew making a short news item for Libyan TV to promote tourism, the idea being to show what a nice appreciative lot we foreign tourists were. I duly went into ambassadorial mode, speaking of the wonderful…
Many must have been shocked at the resignation of Sir Howard Davies, Director of the LSE and at the damage done to that great institution by its association with Libya. I am only surprised that it has taken so long for this issue to become public. LSE has not been transparent about sources of donation,…
We had a statement yesterday on redundancy in the armed forces. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/110302-0001.htm#11030267000492 The minister ran into difficulties with some of the former Chiefs of Staff who questioned the fairness of the redundancy payments. The problem became complex when the Minister said it would be ‘fair’ when previously he had suggested it would not be ‘mean’.…
My Question for Short Debate, ‘To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to establishing a Royal Commission on the law governing drug use and possession’, has been scheduled for next Wednesday (9 March). It takes place for one hour, starting at about 7.30 p.m. Readers are very welcome to suggest points I…
The Fixed-term Parliaments Bill received its Second Reading in the Lords yesterday. It attracted over twenty speakers. Very few of them, though, expressed support for the Bill. Some objected to the principle whereas others felt that it was badly constructed. The Opposition line was that it favoured fixed-term parliaments but did not believe that this…
