House of Lords
An 80 percent elected Lords would not be a Lib Dem triumph
The Lib Dem manifesto committed the party to a fully elected House of Lords. The Tory manifesto talked about a ‘mainly-elected’ second chamber and in 2007 David Cameron voted for… Continue reading
23 CommentsMiliband’s New Generation draws the line under donor peers
Patronage remains a strong statement of leadership, and an indication of a leader’s competence. As James noted yesterday, Ed Miliband chose the occasion to play one of his few picture… Continue reading
14 CommentsWhat the new peerages tell us about the party leaders
Today’s peerage list contains more interesting names than usual. Jullian Fellowes — Downton Abbey, Gosford Park, Snobs — is the one who will get the most attention. It is a… Continue reading
18 CommentsFull list of peerages
Number 10 has published the full list of new peerages. There are 27 new Conservative peers, including Sir Patrick Cormack, Richard Spring, Julian Fellowes, Howard Flight, Michael Grade and Patience… Continue reading
8 CommentsTo A Foulkes
George – now Lord – Foulkes is taking his leave of Holyrood and returning to the comfort of the red benches in the House of Lords. It’s fair to say… Continue reading
3 CommentsIs the United States Senate Broken?
In one sense, yes it is. The Senate may be the world’s most exasperating deliberative body. As with it’s Roman counterpart there’s a growing sense that the Senate has outlived… Continue reading
13 CommentsMandelson’s miscalculation
Peter Mandelson’s decision to support Gordon Brown right to the end enabled him to cease being a purely factional figure in the Labour party. The multiple standing ovations he received… Continue reading
16 CommentsArise Lord Prescott
It’s John Prescott’s birthday – or Lord Prescott, as he will soon be. How odd of JP to don the ermine, given that he is on record saying that he… Continue reading
38 CommentsHurd weighs in on the 55 percent debate
Plenty of eyes on the Tory grandees at the moment. I mean, the right of the party isn’t exactly delighted with the LibCon coalition – so the search is on… Continue reading
14 CommentsThe World’s Greatest Deliberative Body
Meanwhile, can there be any doubt that the House of Lords remains, despite everything, the finest legislative body in the world? The people who want to put us through yet… Continue reading
8 CommentsLabour’s pursuit of Ashcroft could backfire
I wrote yesterday that Lord Ashcroft’s statement about his tax status should have drawn a "rather neat line under the issue". Sure, it’s hardly ideal that someone with such influence… Continue reading
70 CommentsThe House of Lords at its exceptional best
Archbishop George Carey has his detractors, but his article in the Times is a candid explanation of the ills that unfettered immigration is causing this country. The tone is so… Continue reading
28 CommentsThree Cheers for the House of Lords
Everyone, and not without reason, holds the House of Commons in some degree of contempt. This has provoked any number of proposals for reforming the lower house. One simple, if… Continue reading
1 CommentIronically, Cameron can only deconstruct the state by manipulating central patronage
If it remains a mystery that, 12 years after describing the House of Lords as an “affront to democracy”, Labour have not attempted wholesale reform, then look no further than… Continue reading
26 CommentsDavid Cameron, his Goats & his Pocket Boroughs
The other day Pete mentioned David Cameron’s desire to bring in outsiders to staff his government ministries, making it a Tory version of Gordon’s so-called Government Of All the Talents.… Continue reading
5 CommentsBercow wants Lords Mandelson and Adonis to be questioned by MPs
Speaker Bercow has suggested that prominent cabinet ministers who sit in the House of Lords should be brought before the backbenchers for scrutiny. The Telegraph’s James Kirkup has the details:… Continue reading
24 CommentsThe benefit of the Lords
I disagree with Helena Kennedy on a whole host of issues, but her speech last night in the Lords debate on assisted suicide was fantastic. Here’s the opening section of… Continue reading
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