I spoke in a debate this evening when a colleague, Lord Trefgarne, moved a motion to annul the European Parliament (House of Lords Disqualification) Regulations 2008. The regulations arise from the fact that there is now a ban on the dual mandate for MEPs: anyone elected as an MEP cannot also sit as a member…
The ministerial changes announced today have a major impact on the House of Lords. The Leader of the House, Baroness Ashton, leaves Government to become an EU Commissioner (in place of Peter Mandelson). Her place is taken by the Chief Whip, Baroness Royall. A new Chief Whip has yet to be announced. Peter Mandelson will…
For those interested in pursuing my point about an elected second chamber not necessarily being the ‘democratic’ option, you can access the text of the talk I gave last December at a seminar on Lords reform organised by the Leader of the House, Baroness Ashton, on: http://www.lordsleader.gov.uk/files/pdf/Dec_07_PN_Leaders_Seminar.pdf My starting point is the form of constitution I…
