Tomorrow’s recall of the House of Lords will be the first for nearly a decade. We were last recalled in 2002, though in that year it occurred on two occasions: on 3 April for tributes to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and on 24 September to discuss Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. The preceding…
Parliaments generally sit according to a set timetable. International crises can occur at any time. Events in South Ossetia are understandably causing widespread international concern. They also illustrate the problem that attaches to parliamentary recesses. There is no mechanism by which Parliament, short of a recall, can debate what is happening and question Government. The…
