Labour Lords

Latest Blogs

• Taking the High Road

  

  Parry Mitchell on tackling the scourge of payday lenders on our high streets Last week, I was given a tour of Kilburn High Road by the Kilburn Campaign for Fair...

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• Impact assessment

  

  Jan Royall on the consequences of the bedroom tax and changes to the council tax system on people in the West Country As Labour has made clear – notwithstanding the...

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• Insult to intelligence

  

  Maggie Jones on the root problems in Gove’s approach to the school curriculum You can tell when someone has lost the intellectual argument – they have to revert to infantile...

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• Balancing act

  

  Jeremy Beecham on squaring justice and security in the use of closed material proceedings The run up to Easter has the Lords engaged over three days with major issues...

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• Seeking assurances

  

  Willy Bach on amending the Coalition's rushed and retrospective 'back to work' legislation Since it came to power almost three years ago, the Coalition government has been responsible for...

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• Bitter aftertaste

  

  Doreen Massey on Starbucks' failure to introduce anti- porn filters in its outlets around the world Little did I realise what would happen when I said “it is time Starbuck’s...

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• “They simply don’t get it!”

  

  A weekend campaigning in Cornwall leaves Jan Royall in no doubt about emerging views of the Cameron government I spent last weekend in Cornwall, campaigning ahead of the elections this...

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• A risk worth taking?

  

  Angela Smith on the worrying impact of changes to domestic building regulations ‘The Building Regulations etc (Amendment) Regulations 2012’ isn’t a particularly inspiring title. But it hides wide ranging changes...

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• Winning the ratings battle

  

  Maeve Sherlock on plans afoot in the Lords to amend the worst of the government’s Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill You'd think it would be a no-brainer. Who needs help most:...

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• A cost to quality

  

  Angela Smith on the government’s scrapping of the Forensic Science Service Nobody gets everything right. No government can ever say it never makes mistakes. But when the evidence is...

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• Common purpose

  

  Anna Kuzan on art, politics and apprenticeships I have always been a passionate advocate of the arts, and walking down the corridors of the House of Lords, I am often...

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• Living a dream

  

  Rob Newbery reflects on his first few months as an apprentice on the Parliamentary Academy Scheme Working in the building you’ve always wanted to work in and meeting your idol...

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• Honour and prejudice

  

  Ray Collins on tackling discrimination against gay men, lesbians and those with HIV across the Commonwealth Over the past 20 years the situation for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in...

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• Once in every lifetime

  

  Tony Young on ensuring today's teenagers get proper training and job opportunities A few months ago, whilst walking through my local council estate, I spotted a group of young...

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• Be careful what you wish for

  

  Norman Warner takes a forensic look at the second Francis Report on the failures of Mid-Staffs Robert Francis performed an important public service in his first report in 2010. He...

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• Pre-packaged goods

  

  Parry Mitchell on a small but important victory in the Lords on 'phoenix’ companies Yesterday, at Lords Report on the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, we tried to convince the...

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• Dealer’s choice

  

  Bill McKenzie on widening the opportunity of so called ‘City Deals’ to more local authorities This evening, during Report on the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, Peers will debate an amendment...

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• A job for the boys...

  

  Margaret Prosser calls for men across the UK to do far more in the fight for women’s equality International Women’s Day has come around again and it’s time to think...

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• Care in our communities

  

  Leslie Turnberg on the measures necessary to bridge the gap between the needs and funding of adult social care As social care budgets are left behind, it is becoming clear...

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• Curriculum vital

  

  Doreen Massey on the need for the government to get its act together and promote the teaching of life skills in schools The Coalition government has been under presure for...

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