I am not at my best on a Monday at 6 am, even on a bright Cornish morning. Catching the early train to get to the Lords in time to dispose of a postbag of some 40 items, and as many e-mails, from the Easter Recess made this early start necessary. It was redeemed by…
Back from recess spent in Italy. My Tuscan friends are now plunged deeper in despair about the future of Italy now that Berlusconi has been voted in again. Cost of living is rising, jobs are few, young people stay at home because they can’t find work, the economy stagnates. No-one seems to hope that any…
We’re about to pour back into the House of Lords after the Easter break. What are going to be the hot issues? Undoubtedly one is the failure to insert a specific free speech clause in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill on Wednesday. An amendment to rectify this has been tabled by Lord Waddington among…
I shall be leaving for Geneva with other members of the Select Committee shortly and returning on Tuesday. We will be taking evidence form the World Health Organisation, UNITAID, (http://www.unitaid.eu/ ) Stop TB Partnership, The International federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, GAVI ( http://www.gavialliance.org/ ) and WIPO (http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.) amongst others. It’s a busy schedule but should…
Bedd, you need to put your comment on to one of my entries if you want me to see it. I try and read many of the posts and comments but you can’t read all of them but obviously I am more likely to spot a question to me if it is linked to one…
Firstly, a confession about my struggle with WordPress. I am used to working with Typepad and I find it more user friendly – hence the gap between some of my words and the lack of my name on one occasion! I hear your comments about Firefox and will pass those on. I have difficulty with…
The House on Friday will be debating a motion moved by the Archbishop of Canterbury. I am regularly asked about the role of the Bishops in the House. It clearly fascinates some people. There is interest in what they do as well as what can and should be done about the representation of other faiths.…
Given the time I spend in Westminster, I normally utilise weekends to catch up on research and administration. Part of the time is given over to teaching on an online degree we offer – the MA in Legislative Studies Online. Part of this weekend is also given over to making arrangements for a biennial conference…
Matt asks how I became a Lord. This is the question I am most frequently asked when I speak to student audiences on the role of the Lords. The answer is that I had a ‘phone call, completely out of the blue. I was sat at my desk in the university one morning: well, at just…
