I was surprised to see a comment on another blog which appeared to suggest that peers enjoy immunity from prosecution. Some members of other legislatures do enjoy significant legal immunity, but parliamentarians in the UK do not. Parliamentary privilege exists to protect parliamentarians in the fulfilment of their parliamentary duties. Speeches made in the course of…
Iain Dale has drawn attention to the Plain English Campaign which, as it says on its website, has invited “all MPs and their staff to send us their nominations for the best (clearest) and worst (most ridden with gobbledygook) documents that they have seen this year in Parliament.” Why, one wonders, have they not written to…
The appointment of Peter Mandelson has rather overshadowed the appointment of Stephen Carter and Paul Myners, both appointed ministers and elevated to the Lords. The appointment of Paul Myners is noteworthy because of the position to which he has been appointed – Exchequer Secretary in the Treasury. Given the financial privilege of the Commons, and…
The Government has announced that it will support amendments to the Counter-Terrorism Bill to remove the provision empowering ministers to order inquests to be held in secret on grounds of national security. The provision for inquests to be held in secret had attracted widespread opposition and has been touched upon by some readers in responding to an…
I see that in response to Lord Taylor’s recent post, Alex has commented: “there is no point to the house of lords – they are unelected and just use up our taxes. their only power is to delay bills by one year”. That completely misunderstands the House of Lords. The cost to the public purse…
