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Lord McFall

Lord McFall

Non-affiliated peer, Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords and chair of the Lords Liaison Committee

Being Lord Speaker has taught me that experience, independence and thoughtful consensus can create real change
Parliament
By Lord McFall
Being Lord Speaker has taught me that experience, independence and thoughtful consensus can create real change
As I step down as Lord Speaker after almost 40 years at Westminster, one lesson stands out: lasting progress is not achieved by shouting the loudest or wielding the biggest majority. It is achieved by persuasion and consensus.
Parliament has a duty to engage with schools to promote a thriving democracy
Education
By Lord McFall
Parliament has a duty to engage with schools to promote a thriving democracy
Some of the most influential experiences in my life came not from being in Westminster for almost 40 years, but from my time as a teacher in the West of Scotland in the 1970s.
Let’s have open conversations about loneliness and mental health in Parliament
Health
By Lord McFall
Let’s have open conversations about loneliness and mental health in Parliament
Novelist Charles Bukowski once said “real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone”.
The House of Lords is ideally placed to answer the challenges posed by AI
Technology
By Lord McFall
The House of Lords is ideally placed to answer the challenges posed by AI
The United Kingdom faces profound challenges which will outlast the lifespan of any government decades into the future.
Our Parliament is something to be proud of
Parliament
By Lord McFall
Our Parliament is something to be proud of
The politicians here in Westminster can argue about almost anything, at the drop of a hat. But we agree on this: our Parliament is something to be proud of.
Co-operation between the Irish and British parliaments is crucial to resolve uncertainties in Northern Ireland
Parliament
By Lord McFall
Co-operation between the Irish and British parliaments is crucial to resolve uncertainties in Northern Ireland
Ireland is one of our closest friends and most important allies. Reaching out and cementing our ties has arguably never been more important, as the United Kingdom continues to map a framework for its relationship with the country after Brexit.
Lord Speaker tribute to Queen Elizabeth II: ‘She became part of our families’
Obituaries
By Lord McFall
Lord Speaker tribute to Queen Elizabeth II: ‘She became part of our families’
In 1953, only one family owned a TV on our street. On the morning of Her late Majesty’s coronation, we gathered at their house and huddled around the hazy black-and-white set to witness the celebrations and pageantry.
We give thanks for seven decades of continuity through our changing society
History
By Lord McFall
We give thanks for seven decades of continuity through our changing society
The State Opening of Parliament is one of the most significant dates in the parliamentary calendar. It is the time when Her Majesty officially opens Parliament from the Sovereign’s Throne and reads the Queen’s Speech, setting out the government’s agenda for the new session.
In a polarised world, our legislatures can achieve more by working together
Parliament
By Lord McFall
In a polarised world, our legislatures can achieve more by working together
Our political system is too London-centric. That’s why as Speaker of the House of Lords, one of my priorities is to help bring the four legislatures, Holyrood, Stormont, Westminster and the Senedd, together on an equal footing.
Post-Brexit Lords committee reforms will mean a cross-departmental, forward thinking approach to scrutiny
Brexit
By Lord McFall
Post-Brexit Lords committee reforms will mean a cross-departmental, forward thinking approach to scrutiny
Changes to the House of Lords committee structure will allow expert scrutiny from peers to complement the Commons’ work
A new House of Lords Covid-19 committee will focus on the re-building of society after coronavirus
Coronavirus
By Lord McFall
A new House of Lords Covid-19 committee will focus on the re-building of society after coronavirus
Our strong hope is that the new committee can focus on the consequences of the disease and its aftermath, identifying problems that lie ahead and how they should or may be resolved.
A better system is needed to investigate misconduct in Parliament
By Lord McFall
A better system is needed to investigate misconduct in Parliament

In order to investigate allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct in the House of Lords and across parliament, a more robust and independent system must be introduced, says Lord McFall of Alcluith