Here in America, the main news story is the Republican primaries. The top concern is a Pew research report that economic mobility here is less than in Europe and Canada. What a blow to people’s sense of national identity. What a blow to economic development. And this in the land of opportunity. Everybody has their own…
I have just watched The Iron Lady, a film about Baroness Thatcher’s life. It does not deal with her period in the House of Lords at all, but focuses on her rise to, and tenure of the position of the first and, so far, the only female Prime Minister of this country. In most ways,…
At the Study of Parliament Group conference at the weekend, one of the panels was on the process of socialisation for parliamentarians. The emphasis was on new MPs and how the process has changed over recent years, with a far more extensive process of induction. It used to be the case that, once elected, MPs…
Last week, the Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill achieved some unexpected publicity. There was a leak from the committee about what had been discussed as to the proposed size of the House. On what one suspects was a slow news day, the BBC had a substantial item about the committtee’s deliberations. This…
Ah, a half hour pause in front of the computer after doing 16 local radio interviews this morning about the launch today of our report from the Commission on Assisted Dying, on which I served. A very sympathetic response overall but we’ve also had the predictable responses from two ends of the debate from individuals…
I am posting below a comprehensive reply from the British Government on points I raised about Gaza, the West Bank, Palestine, and the wider issue of Palestinian refugees. Readers may wish to take up points with their MP. “The UK Government remains concerned at the situation in Gaza. We believe that the restrictions on movements…
Here is another link to three of my Questions and Answers , of 21st December, regarding Israel/Palestine and Gaza. The replies about Israel’s actions are not satisfying. Our government goes through the motions of making formal protests, which Israel largely ignores. The isolation of Palestinian villages occurs when they are squeezed between the Wall/Barrier, settler-only roads, settlements or…
I am not a believer but I love a good sing-along carol service by candlelight with all the traditional carols and hymns, a local schoolboy doing his solo out of tune and readings from the King James version of the Bible. This year we once again gathered in our tiny medieval village church and as…
I promised to reveal the grand prizewinners of the quiz prior to Christmas. Since the quiz resumed following the election, there have been 22 readers who have won the quizzes. Some of these are grand prizewinners, having won three or more. Indeed, three have won ten or more and three have won between five and…
