Contributions
126 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]A Motion has been put forward by the noble Lord. I would like some clarification on the rather odd statement that he made. This is a constitutional Bill; I do not think that…13 Mar 2020HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]My Lords, having sat through this entire debate, I am not sure that anybody has made a case for the continuation of the hereditary peerage. I do not know what the noble Lord, Lord…13 Mar 2020HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]My Lords, I return the compliments of the noble Lord, Lord Grocott, and welcome so many life Peers to this debate. Many of them were not here in 1998 when we discussed the…13 Mar 2020HANSARDQueen’s SpeechMy Lords, I so enjoyed the speech of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, and I know that there will be many other times to debate some of the issues raised in his analysis.…08 Jan 2020HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy Lords, is not the position even worse than that? The noble Baroness is currently Leader of the Opposition. She must have considered the possibility that in the next few weeks…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI just want to say that we have got ourselves into the most appalling political mess. We are getting ourselves into a constitutional mess and anyone looking in on this House must…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseThe noble Baroness was intervening on me.04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI would like to make a suggestion to my noble friends on the Front Bench which might work for the House. I do not know whether it would be acceptable at this stage. I understand…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseThe noble and learned Lord helpfully mentioned the Bill that has just arrived from the House of Commons. Can he or a member of the Front Bench tell us when it will be published in…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI intervene on my noble friend now, because if he moves his amendment the noble Lord, Lord Harris, will move the closure and I will not be able to—04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy noble friend has moved his amendment. It would be normal, when discussing an amendment to a major Motion, for somebody from one of the Front Benches to reply to him. In this…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseThe noble Lord is not going to move the closure; he has given up. That would be a marvellous thing, would it not? It would be interesting to know whether my noble friend…04 Sept 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy Lords, I too will reflect briefly on what happened on Thursday, when the House did not serve the interests of the people we serve, Parliament, or indeed this House and…08 Apr 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy Lords—04 Apr 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Empey, has spoken with a good deal of sense. My understanding is that the usual channels had formally agreed to finish this Bill on Monday, and that…04 Apr 2019HANSARDBusiness of the HouseMy Lords, I am sorry for intervening on my noble friend, but I find it utterly extraordinary that we have just listened to a Motion being moved by a leading Member on the…04 Apr 2019HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]As I understand the amendment, and I am not sure I entirely understand it, my noble friend is trying to co-operate with the idea in the Burns report to reduce the total number. I…15 Mar 2019HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]I really do think that I would try the patience of the House if I even attempted to respond to the noble Lord, so I will not do so, except perhaps another time in the bar.15 Mar 2019HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]I am not aware that anyone has made an argument in favour of the hereditary peerage since the end of the previous century. That is why, as I briefly tried to explain, the…15 Mar 2019HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Howard of Rising for reminding us of what happened in 1969 in the House of Commons and the argument that took place there that any…15 Mar 2019