Labour Lords

Latest Blogs

• Missing, inaction

  

  Wilf Stevenson on the Coalition’s piecemeal approach to intellectual property rights After a long period of inactivity, the Coalition government have produced two Bills dealing with Intellectual Property (IP) in...

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• Track changes

  

  Richard Rosser on the government’s continuing inability to progress major transport projects As many people are aware, the Coalition government, having announced it would be incapable of making a decision during...

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• Good news, bad news

  

  Margaret Wheeler on the two faces of the government’s new Care Bill One in four babies born today will live to 100. That is a striking statistic, and an impressive...

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• ‘Health and Safety gone mad’? Think again

  

  Maeve Sherlock on the background to the Mesothelioma Bill and its potential legacy There are days when the papers seem to be full of ‘Health and Safety gone mad’...

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• Duty calls

  

  Jan Royall on providing our country and communities with a vision for the future Now that the debates on the dismal offerings of the latest Queen’s Speech have ended, Labour...

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• You say you want a revolution?

  

  Jeremy Beecham on the deep flaws underpinning the government’s Offender Rehabilitation Bill No-one would disagree that reducing re-offending should be a priority. The cost to individuals, society and the taxpayer...

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• Interest guarantees

  

  Maggie Jones on the crucial importance of putting the child at the heart of adoption policy-making Today, the Lords is debating two excellent reports produced by the Select Committee on...

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• Out and proud

  

  Ray Collins on why it’s time for UK parliamentarians to champion aid to developing countries As we approach the end of a week’s worth of debates on the government’s new...

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• Policy paralysis

  

  Bryony Worthington on the Coalition bickering and infighting holding back the UK’s low carbon economy Next month, the Energy Bill, first announced in last year’s Queen’s speech, may finally get...

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• Integrating with integrity

  

  Phil Hunt goes behind the spin of the government’s adult social care proposals With the country facing so many formidable challenges, last week’s Queen’s Speech was an ideal opportunity for...

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• Waste management

  

  Wilf Stevenson on the government’s failure to learn the lessons of last year’s Queen’s speech When we debated the 2012 Queen’s speech last May, unemployment had soared, we were in...

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• Selling consumers short

  

  Dianne Hayter on the government’s welcome but weak plans for a Consumer Rights Bill One welcome thing to come out of the Queen’s speech was the promise of a Consumer...

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• Empty gestures

  

  Angela Smith on the immigration, crime and justice elements of the government’s new legislative programme Despite the headlines being dominated by Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, it’s clear that the big...

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• Out of ideas, out of touch and running scared

  

  Jan Royall on another disappointing Queen's Speech from the Coalition government As anyone who has been on the doorstep over the past few weeks knows, people want hope. They have...

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• Making votes count

  

  Steve Bassam on the choice facing the county council electorate this Thursday Campaigning in this year’s local elections has brought me into contact with some remarkable people. A trip to...

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• Future proofing

  

  John McFall on why it’s time for Osborne to ditch the cruel hoax of austerity politics In his manifesto defining Mais Lecture of Feb 2010, before he became Chancellor, George...

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• Drama in the House: ‘Home Death’

  

  Joan Bakewell on the terrible decision faced by some individuals and their loved ones I have always believed in the power of the arts to move hearts and minds in...

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• Fatal attraction

  

  Phil Hunt explains why tonight’s debate on the government’s health competition regulations is a crucial moment for our NHS Today, the House of Lords gets a chance to put a...

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• A question of class

  

  Jim Knight on why it’s time to lengthen the learning day not the school day Michael Gove managed to gather plenty of coverage for himself with his speech last Thursday...

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• A victory for commonsense

  

  Dianne Hayter on a late but welcome u-turn from Ministers over regulation of lettings agents Ever since moving my amendment to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill to require letting...

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