The media last Thursday tended to concentrate on the publication of the Constitution Committee’s report on the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill rather than on the Lord Chief Justice’s appearance before the committee the previous day. However, on Friday, The Guardian carried a report on his Lordship’s evidence. It focused on his criticisms of Schedule 7 of the…
There are many all-party groups in Parliament. They draw on members from different parties, hence the name, as well as members from both Houses. Some, such as the all-party group on breast cancer, are especially active. Peers chair a good many groups. This week’s quiz focuses on all-party groups chaired by peers. As usual, the…
Lord Soley refers to the brief debate, during committee stage of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, on the issue of votes at 16. Whenever the issue comes up, I normally contribute but on this occasion could not be there – otherwise I would have drawn attention to the problems associated with the arguments…
On Thursday December 9th Lord Wallace of Saltaire amazed and alarmed the House by failing to recognise the constitutional importance of Members having access to Parliament during demonstrations. He seemed to see it only as a ‘right to demonstrate’ issue. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101209-0001.htm#10120945000752 But right of access for Parliamentarians is important because attempts have been made in…
During the debate last Monday on the Parliamentary Voting Systems and Constituencies Bill there were a couple of interesting little debates one of which was on votes at 16. I have been in favour of this for many years now and I gave my reasons in the debate http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101213-0002.htm#10121330000257 . The Government opposed it arguing that…
Former Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth (pictured) has caused something of a political storm for calling for the legalisation of drugs so that they can be available, probably on prescription, as a way of tackling the major problems presently caused by the supply and consumption of drugs. Some of the responses to his call have been predictable. However,…
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, appeared before the Constitution Committee this morning. It was a very revealing session. Lord Judge, in a dinner for Her Majesty’s Judges at the Mansion House in July, said that “my deepest concern at the moment is directed to the increased use of what are described as Henry VIII…
So that was that. After suffering a massive defeat on the Public Bodies Bill at 5pm (by 122), the Government comfortably won the vote on pushing through their tuition fee policy. As in the Commons the Tories couldn’t have done it without the Libdems, and the public are right to feel some anger at them…
I have read with interest the very thoughtful recent contributions on tuition fees, and the role of the Lords in determining them. Personally, I very much agree with what Baroness Murphy has said of the new scheme. I believe it will be better and fairer, even if it was not the preferred option of the…
