Tag Archives: Palace of Westminster

The Screeching Hawks of Parliament

Lord Soley 07/10/2010 – 8:44 am

No, I'm not talking about MP's and Lords screeching abuse at each other but about two new new members of parliament who have refused to take their seats in either chamber. Instead they circle the building emitting the most incredible screeches and dive on pigeons and kill them. The feathers of the doomed pigeon float down past windows and some of the staff I am told find the whole rather bloody […]

Written at 8:44 am on 07/10/2010, by Lord Soley


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The recess begins

Lord Norton 30/07/2010 – 11:10 am

The House of Commons rose for the summer recess on Tuesday and the House of Lords on Wednesday.   By the end of Wednesday, after the House had risen, there was still a good deal of activity.  The Despatch Box (the snack bar) in the Atrium in Portcullis House was well patronised.  The giveaway that we were entering the recess was the number of staff in casual dress: it looked more like a dress- […]

Written at 11:10 am on 30/07/2010, by Lord Norton


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Art, History and Politics

Lord Soley 09/06/2010 – 6:18 pm

Before the election I was looking for ways to widen the appeal and scope of Lords of the Blog. The meat of what we do on a daily basis remains the key because we want people outside Parliament to know more about us and our work. That however, is never the whole picture. For me the long history of the struggle for freedom, democracy and the rule of law are profoundly important and I have always […]

Written at 6:18 pm on 09/06/2010, by Lord Soley


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Law in Action

Baroness Deech 23/11/2009 – 3:04 pm

In 2007 Parliament passed the Legal Services Act, which might - or might not - revolutionise the way lawyers work, especially barristers.  The law allows for, but does not insist on, barristers being able to enter partnership with solicitors, or with each other, instead of carrying on in the time honoured fashion as self employed.  I chair the Bar Standards Board which has the discretion to de […]

Written at 3:04 pm on 23/11/2009, by Baroness Deech


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Quiz questions

Lord Norton 17/10/2009 – 1:07 pm

I thought I would pick up on Lord Soley's post on the Bonfire of the Vanities.  As he says, it is 175 years since the Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire.  The House of Lords went up in flames first, followed by the Commons.  Westminster Hall was saved.  The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Althrop, apparently declared: 'Damn the House of Commons, let it blaze away; but save, oh save […]

Written at 1:07 pm on 17/10/2009, by Lord Norton


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