Lord Dholakia identifies the fact that some of the correspondence we receive can leave one scratching one’s head. We receive some serious and sometimes heart-rending letters. However, some letters do leave you wondering what you are expected to do with them. Some of the stranger variety have a religious element, often without a return address. One letter I…
Both chambers will be busy on Wednesday. There will be the usual Prime Ministers’ Questions in the Commons and the House will be debating the Government’s proposal for 42 days’ detention without charge. The Lords will be debating the EU (Amendment) Bill and important votes are expected, not least on the issue of a referendum.…
As has been said before, Peers tend to get a significant amount of post daily. Much of this is about serious issues, and can also include invitations and requests from all over the world. Unfortunately, some of this mail can leave my assistants scratching their heads. One letter that came into my office today stated:…
My colleague Lord Dubs of Battersea has campaigned for some time for a ban on cluster munitions and is delighted that the recent Dublin conference reached agreement on this. I think many of you would be very interested to hear his views on this so I am encouraging him to join this blog. Am I right?…
I’ve been thinking over a discussion last week about the crossbenchers and their voting record. A senior member of the Government mentioned to Lady D’Souza, our convenor, that crossbenchers didn’t always command respect (or perhaps it was popularity) with political peers because they don’t vote very often. It was particularly suggested that crossbenchers should make a…
Lord Selsdon couldn’t resist a swipe in a question http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldhansrd/text/80604-0001.htm#08060470000003 aimed at the Labour Government on the economy and recalling past battles about ‘boom and bust’. This was Gordon Brown’s frequent jibe at the last Tory governments economic policy. As I sat on the Opposition benches during a very long 18 years I recall it well!…
I too think that Graham Allen is on to a good idea …. not least because I have been discussing this with him and other colleagues in recent weeks. As Lord Norton implies, it makes sense to bring lively discussion of the issues of the day from a corner of Hyde Park to the…
I have already commented, in response to comments on my earlier post, on the evidence we heard on Wednesday from representatives of the police, Westminster City Council and the Greater London Authority on demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament. However, there was an additional thought that crossed my mind as the witnesses spoke about the problems of…
This blog has now been live for almost three months and we have had over 45,000 views. What is intriquing at times, though, is the words and phrases people enter in to search engines in order to reach us. Obviously, ‘lords blog’ or the like is fairly straightforward but some visitors have reached the site…
