We’re relatively sheltered here, compared to the Commons, but nonetheless I come in on a Monday to a couple of inches of post and a page or two of emails fromthe PR industry. Most drops unread into the bin. When you know the subject, though, you read – and then the lobbyist has succeeded, as…
Sometime something I have said in the Lords triggers a response from people wanting to join the battle – on my side or against. This is immensely helpful – as we have no researchers, it’s of great assistance to have one’s understanding, and determination, boosted like this: Dear Lord Lucas, As you have spoken out…
We get a fair bit of propaganda too, from all sides of various conflicts. Here’s one example: Brutality of Turkish soldiers on the body of Kurdish guerrillas Friday, 09 July 2010 14:06 HAKKARI, Northern Kurdistan — The bodies of 7 Kurdish guerrillas who lost their lives in an ambush on a military outpost in Hakkari…
We have a large inbox, and no great help in dealing with it. Thoughts on how we should respond welcomed. This from Japan: I’ve got serious torture for now. According to criminal’s thought that United Nations Geral Assembly is under deliberation now for the matter I’ve appealed to let U.S.A or another countries can turn…
It was embarrassing, to say the least, to read reports alleging that Baroness Dunn and Lords Bagri, Foster, McAlpine and Laidlaw had resigned their seats in the Lords rather than sacrifice their non-dom status and tax savings. The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 stipulated that a non-dom could not sit in the House of Lords unless he or…
This week’s quiz is again a straightforward one, asking readers to identify particular members of the House. It will be interesting to see if participants can produce answers as quickly as they did last week. As usual, the first two readers to supply the correct answers will be the winners. 1. I am a former…
Yesterday in the House of Lords, the government won two divisions by large majorities, one in normal business hours and one late (almost 11 o’clock). Of course I am happy about that — being a government backbencher, and wanting to see the Academies Bill go through without trouble — but if this is a pattern…
It is just coming up to 11.00 p.m. on Wednesday. The House is still on Report stage of the Academies Bill. We have just had a vote on one of the amendments. It is always possible that there may be more before Report stage is completed later this evening. Then again, given that the Opposition…
Lord McNally, the Justice Minister, yesterday repeated the statement – made in the Commons by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg – on constitutional reform. Rather like Nick Clegg, he attracted some critical questions. This is hardly surprising given the scope of what is proposed. There will be one Bill covering the equalisation of constituency boundaries,…
