Given my enthusiastic support for the Lords of the Blog project, when it was suggested by one of the users of the site that I should explain more about my role, I was very happy to respond – specially since this is a “guest spot”, which means I don’t have to show the same impressive…
I haven’t written a blog for ages and feel bad about it. There’s been a lot going on – most of which is wonderfully covered by my colleagues. However, none of us has as yet been able to push forward a UK move to lessen the awful terror that is unfolding in Zimbabwe. Most of you will…
In relation to the executive, the House of Lords is certainly more independent than the House of Commons. At the level of the individual member, though, peers are not necessarily as rebellious as Lord Tyler’s earlier post may suggest. The experience and expertise of the membership has greatest impact in the exercise of the persuasive, rather than…
When a ministerial statement is made in the Commons, it is normally repeated in the Lords. We had the statement this afternoon on the security breach where a Cabinet Office official left highly sensitive security material on a train. The Government announced that there was to be a review of security. It was clear from…
Westminster can be something of a rumour mill. That is especially the case in the Commons, where members tend to congregate in the tea room and bars and where a rumour can spread quickly. The tendency is less pronounced in the Lords, in part I suspect because members are less confined to the House. However,…
While the big rebellion over the 42 day lock-up was in progress in the Commons on Wednesday, we were having an equally interesting debate about Britain’s role in Europe in the Lords. The big difference between the two Houses – as I see it, having served in both – is the extent to which Peers…
Referendums are very much in the news again. I have a principled objection to them and have previously developed my objection, not least during debate on the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill. One of the arguments advanced in favour of their use is that a referendum helps isolate an issue. However, let me develop…
Two exhibitions are now on display in the Palace of Westminster. There is one in Westminster Hall to mark the 175th anniversary of Dod’s Parliamentary Companion. The Companion is an essential guide to Parliament and (especially) its members: there are a great many well-thumbed copies throughout the Palace. If a member or official cannot quite…
Lord Dholakia and Norton comment on our mountainous post. The letters which really depress me are those handwritten ones personally addressed which contain almost identical material–they are usually on religious topics but can be on anything. Supporters of a particular lobby are asked to write individual letters to peers whose names begin with the same initial…
