Both Houses are now in recess, though one would not necessarily know that given the work that is still going on. It will become quieter as we go further into recess, but today the Palace remains a hive of activity. The Despatch Box is still in considerable use, albeit not in either chamber. Despatch Box is the name of…
I promised to take another look at the whole process that is commonly referred to as ‘parliamentary ping-pong’, when we came to the final exchanges before the long summer recess. On Monday, the Lords were examining two major Bills, which could have resulted in further shuttling up and down the corridor between the two Houses. …
The Lords rose this evening, just after 6.30 p.m., following the announcement of Royal Assent to several measures, including what is now the Political Parties and Elections Act and the Parliamentary Standards Act. The Commons will rise shortly following a debate on the motion for a summer adjournment. Both Houses will return on Monday 12…
Iain Dale of Total Politics is keen to invite readers to vote for their favourite politics blogs. If you would like to vote for your top ten, you can do so through this link. If you think Lords of the Blog qualifies as a politics blog, and it is among your favourites, please feel free to include…
Lords Expenses Last week I gave written evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Board on Lords expenses. It should be published when their report comes out in the Autumn. You can wait until the Autumn or read it here now.
This current recession calls for new and innovative responses. Not to worry. The G8, plus a few others, put their heads together to tackle economic problems around the world. Soon, the G8 will most likely begin to incorporate other nations, creating a new G14 or G24. Nations like China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico…
A reminder that anyone who wins the prize on three occasions will be invited to tea at the Lords. This week’s quiz questions: 1. Identify two current peers who fit the following description: I am a peer who has previously served as an MP I switched parties while in the Commons I served as a…
I’d better confess; I’m already on holiday in Italy. Commitments in Canada in August meant we needed to do our annual ‘olive inspection’ earlier than usual. (This is just an excuse, I’ve had a house and olive grove here near Lucca for 15 years and come at least 4-5 times a year ; it’s one…
Working in the Palace of Westminster is a privilege, but it does have some problems, not least given the age of the building. I have previously mentioned the cramped conditions in the Lords: space has not expanded sufficiently to keep abreast of the growth in the active membership. There are also other problems, some transient…
