Tag Archives: maiden speeches

Advice to new members

Lord Norton 09/04/2011 – 12:09 pm

One new peer recently asked if I had any advice for a new member.  There are a few points I would offer.  I thought I would share these with readers, especially those who are avid viewers of BBC Parliament, as one can observe debates to see to what extent they are followed. 1.  Get to know the House before making your maiden speech.  There are dangers of rushing in and giving a speech that […]

Maidens in abundance

Lord Norton 06/10/2010 – 9:58 pm

The Lords returned yesterday.   The main business  was a debate on the role of the charitable sector in strengthening civil society, introduced for the Government by Lord Taylor of Holbeach.  Thirty-seven peers spoke in the debate.  It was an extremely good debate, notable for the fact that no less than seven new peers made maiden speeches.     Perhaps the most notable of the seven […]

Twice a maiden

Lord Norton 27/07/2010 – 10:39 am

Because of the number of new members introduced into the House, we are having a good number of maiden speeches.  In a recent debate on women in society, we had no fewer than seven maiden speeches.  In yesterday's debate on the Finance Bill, there were two.  I rather enjoyed the opening of the short maiden speech by Lord Spicer, formerly Sir Michael Spicer who chaired the Conservatives' 1922 Com […]

Debating the Queen's Speech

Lord Norton 19/11/2009 – 3:55 pm

The House has begun five days of debate on the Queen's Speech.  I have been sat in the chamber listening to today's debate, which focuses on foreign and European affairs, international development and defence.  Though different topics are allocated to each day, the five days of debate are deemed to constitute one debate on the Speech.  As a result, a peer can speak only once during the five day […]