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1,156 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThis is the first time I have been angry in this debate. The noble Lord is casting malign intent on me and others in my party about the Bill. I hope he will retract and rethink…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI think the best way forward would be for the government lawyers to talk with lawyers in the House with an interest, including the noble Lord, so that we can find a way forward.…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMay I finish my point? Do not get too excited—I will give way soon. I am surprised that the noble Baroness thinks that with those additional Members—some 70 more Members than we…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am not in a position to make a firm commitment. The House absolutely does its best work when the two main parties have roughly equal numbers, but it also depends on the House…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, it has been an interesting debate. I will start with the basis of why I first suggested the Select Committee, as it may help your Lordships. The noble Lord is right that…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI did not think that was what the noble Baroness said; I thought she was quoting somebody else. On the points made about ministerial pay, again, there was a very spirited and…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy noble friends agree with me—both paid, I hasten to add; both Foreign Office Ministers and our Defence Ministers are paid Ministers but are still here in the Chamber,…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord True, for raising this issue again, following the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson. It is one of those issues. He and…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillAs to the noble and learned Lord’s impatience, I ask him to bear with me as I go through this. The basis of that is the legal advice received on that. I understand the point made…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe noble Lord said his amendment has universal support, but it does not. I talked about the principle of supporting our Lords Ministers, and said that I preferred the way forward…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI have a number of other points to make that might be helpful.09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe noble Lord makes an interesting point. I know the draft Bill under the last Government that he refers to. We were never approached about that draft Bill—I am not aware of any…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe noble Lord is a former Chief Whip and he will understand the procedures of the House. If he puts his amendment to the vote today and it is not agreed, the vote we had in…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am afraid that my use of the word “shenanigans” has been copied by many others since, and it was not original on my part. To go down a bit of a rabbit hole, we have seen a lot…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I am grateful for that, and perhaps I can offer a helpful way forward. This amendment is identical to one tabled in Committee, except that it seeks to permit Peers to…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe noble Lord’s amendment is uncertain, because I did not read it like that. It says: “Where a select committee of the House … has been established for the purpose of reporting…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe noble Lord makes an interesting point. My understanding—I look to the clerk—is that we will vote on Amendment 13A first, and the noble Lord, Lord True, has said that he…09 Jul 2025HANSARDBlack RodI liked it. When the office of Black Rod was created in 1361, the decree stated that the post should be held by “a gentleman famous in arms and in blood”, a reference to the…09 Jul 2025HANSARDBlack RodMy Lords, I have to acquaint the House that His Majesty has appointed Lieutenant General Ed Davis to be Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, in succession to Sarah Clarke, and that…09 Jul 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I can reassure noble Lords on a number of items, but I will say that that is the first time in this debate that we have had such discourtesy from a Member of the party…09 Jul 2025