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24 Jan 2022 Economy

Treasury Minister Dramatically Resigns At Despatch Box Over Government's Failure To Tackle Covid Fraud

A Treasury minister has dramatically resigned from his role in protest at how the government has failed to tackle fraud related to pandemic financial schemes.

20 Jan 2022 Health

The Health and Care Bill: legislation struggling to catch up with reality

The Health and Care Bill currently being debated in the Lords is a case of legislation struggling to catch up with a changed reality.

19 Jan 2022 Parliament

Maiden Voyages: the Bishop of Chelmsford

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note

15 Jan 2022 Obituaries

Tribute to Lord Hughes of Woodside by Lord Hain

Lord “Bob” Hughes of Woodside, who died aged 90 on 7 January, had a long and respected Labour MP and trade union career, including as under secretary of state for Scotland in 1975 to 1976 and shadow transport secretary in 1985 to 1988.
But I will always cherish his memory as a selfless, dedicated and inspirational anti-apartheid leader.

14 Dec 2021 Obituaries

‘A true servant of the House’. Lord Glenarthur pays tribute to Lord Denham

The death of Lord Denham on Sunday 1 December, aged 94, truly marks the end of an era in The House of Lords. Fulsome obituaries have already appeared in the national press highlighting Bertie Denham as a pillar of House for over 70 years.

13 Dec 2021 Parliament

Lords Diary: The Lord Bishop of St Albans

Last week I spoke in Lord Alton’s debate on the persecution of the Uyghur people in China. It was moving to hear contributions from all benches describing the horrors being perpetrated.

10 Dec 2021 Obituaries

'He inspired deep and genuine affection.' Baroness Smith pays tribute to Lord McKenzie

As I read the tributes to Bill on social media and various WhatsApp groups from Labour colleagues and others, it struck me that this decent, honourable, and kind man would never have realised just how much he meant to people. Yes, he was hugely respected in every corner of the House, but more than that, he inspired deep and genuine affection.

01 Dec 2021 Parliament

Maiden Voyages: The Latest Lords Debuts

There was something of a homecoming feel to the Lords in recent weeks with the maiden speeches of hereditary peers whose titles had not been on the order paper for decades.

30 Nov 2021 Health

Government Plans For Care Cap Costs Set To Be Derailed By The House Of Lords

Peers have vowed to “do what it takes” to scrap the government’s controversial social care plans when the Health and Social Care Bill goes to the House of Lords next week.

12 Nov 2021 Economy

Lords Diary: Lord Clement Jones

Down the corridor in the Commons, early November was dominated by No 10’s Owen Paterson U-turn and in Glasgow by events at COP26 – but for me it was an opportunity to raise a number of issues relevant to innovation and the development of technology and the future of our creative industries. It started with the great news that Queen Mary University of London, whose council I chair, after many trials and tribulations, has agreed a property deal next to our Whitechapel campus with the Department of Health and Social Care. It paves the way for the development, with Barts Life Sciences, of a major research centre within a new UK Whitechapel Life Sciences Cluster.

08 Nov 2021 Political parties

Minister Says House Of Lords Needs A “Rich Mix” Of Peers After Tory Donor Row

A senior Cabinet minister has defended peerages being handed to wealthy Tory donors by saying there needs to be a “rich mix in the House of Lords”.

02 Nov 2021 Parliament

Parliament Week: Everyone’s voice matters

Parliament Week is a great time to get involved and to talk about things that matter to you. Everyone’s voice matters. That’s what democracy is all about. Parliamentarians need to know your concerns, but also your ideas for making people’s lives safer and better.

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22 Oct 2021 Health

Assisted Dying Bill progresses with majority of speakers in favour; Lord Field, Baroness Davidson among Peers declaring change of mind on issue

The House of Lords today has the opportunity to fix a broken, outdated and unsafe law

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22 Oct 2021 Health

The House of Lords today has the opportunity to fix a broken, outdated and unsafe law

The debate on Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill today provides Peers with a rare opportunity to progress legislation that is popular, safe and compassionate.

Why Peers should reject the Assisted Dying Bill

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15 Oct 2021 Coronavirus

Why Peers should reject the Assisted Dying Bill

Legalising assisted dying is the wrong answer to the right question. Let's change the debate to focus on quality palliative care instead.

11 Oct 2021 Political parties

Interview: Baroness Evans Hopes For Period Of Calm After Brexit And Covid

The Lords has come through one of its most difficult times in modern history. Now, Conservative leader Baroness Evans says she’s hoping for a period of calm.

17 Sep 2021 Economy

Parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements must no longer be an afterthought

International agreements ought to be subject to at least the same levels of scrutiny as the laws we make in Parliament.

07 Sep 2021 Parliament

Peers Call For Lords Appointments Watchdog To Be Given Statutory Status

Cross party and independent peers have issued calls for the House of Lords’ appointments watchdog to be granted statutory status.

30 Jul 2021 Culture

Inside Westminster's history of contested monuments

Oliver Cromwell as a regicide was originally absent from the line of statues of former rulers within the Palace. Walking around Parliament should remind us that arguments about our country’s history have a long history themselves.

24 Jun 2021 Social affairs

Bishops in the Lords – an unholy row

The Church of England is one of the most active third sector organisations in the United Kingdom. But do its leaders deserve a special place in Parliament? Lord Taverne and the Bishop of Durham have opposing views

31 May 2021 History

Thoroughly modern Mawson: Meet the new woman at the top of the House of Lords

The appointment of a woman to a senior position may not be big news in the wider world, but Chloe Mawson has just become the House of Lords’ first female clerk assistant for 400 years. She talks to Georgina Bailey about her new role, old battles and why Westminster’s modern management team must be more diverse and inclusive

20 May 2021 Health

The Assisted Dying Bill will give dying people control at the end of their lives

Each of us has an idea of what we would find unbearable at the end of our life. All I ask is that we can decide for ourselves: is this level of suffering bearable for me?

18 May 2021 Coronavirus

Let’s build on the virtues of virtual proceedings

We need experience of hybrid proceedings in normal conditions before deciding how to proceed in the long term.

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17 May 2021 Health

House of Lords due to debate assisted dying Private Member’s Bill for first time in more than 5 years

An assisted dying bill is due to be debated in the House of Lords later this year – the first time a private member’s bill on the topic will be discussed in Westminster for more than five years.