An inspiring centre page picture in Monday’s Guardian showing Chinese doctors carrying out an eye operation on a giant panda named Xiaoming in Shaanxi province. It’s amazing what we humans will do to protect species at times even though we are full of contradictions about the welfare of animals. http://www.guardian.co.uk/inpictures Oopps! Sorry about that link –…
Last year in the House of Lords I suggested a national DNA data base. If we had one Rachel Nickel’s murderer would have been caught earlier and Colin Stagg would not have faced the possibility of life time imprisonment. I am more then ready to sign up. Are you?
The successor to Sir Michael Willcocks as Black Rod was announced last week. Sir Michael finishes his term of office next May and will be succeeded by Lt-Gen. Sir Freddie Viggers. The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and Serjeant at Arms of the House of Lords – to use his full title – is best known…
There was a statement in the House on Thursday about our future involvement in Iraq and the question of an inquiry. I am in support of an inquiry but it has to be wider than the issue of the post conflict management. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/81218-0009.htm This whole issue raises the question of how we deal with really…
The House has now risen for the Christmas recess. I am already using the time to catch up on a mass of paperwork as well as responding to comments on my earlier posts. I also plan to use the recess to do some posts on topics that I have been asked to write about. I also thought…
Another first for the House of Lords! Lord Paul became the first member of Asian origin to sit on the Woolsack. http://www.parliament.uk/about/glossary.cfm?ref=woolsac_4660 The Lords have become much more representative of British society than the Commons in recent years. Baroness Amos was the first black woman to become leader of the House – even before Barak Obama…
Further to Lord Norton’s entry below I also thought this debate was well worth while. Lords of the Blog is clearly attracting interest but we still do not have enough members taking part. I want to work on getting some more Lords blogging next year – that’s my New Year resolution! I also have to…
The debate on enhancing Parliament’s ability to communicate with the public was held yesterday. What was remarkable was the number of peers who contributed, not least given that it was the last debate before we rose for Christmas. I gather it was the best supported debate prior to the Christmas recess since we began using…
I realise that in my earlier post on last week’s debate on the constitution, home affairs and legal issues, I omitted to provide a link to my speech, which dealt with the Government’s approach (or rather lack of one) to constitutional change. Anyone wishing to do so can read it here (at columns 315-17). I would like to say…
