lord of the blog

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Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Responses

I have been following the various comments but I have not had time to respond.

It was useful to hear ideas about policy options (prisoners and job seekers allowance). I will try and respond in due course but right now I am seriously behind on a number of tasks - so no rash promises! I have only just got computerised at the House of Lords and that will help.

Thanks for the grammar checks - there were failing schools in the 1940's/50's too! I am a living example of one. I still have a report which says "Clive could make better use of his limited abilities if only he would try a little harder".

Could have been true of course!

Education White Paper

At the time of this entry I haven't seen the White Paper on education but http://www.politics.co.uk is providing relevant quotes and details. I find Government departments are still a bit slow on putting these papers on line but they get there in the end!

I wish the proposals about how schools are to ensure a fair distribution of pupils of mixed ability had been published at the same time as this seems crucial to me. In areas where there is only one school this is not a great problem but in many city areas it is very important to ensure some schools don't get seen as the 'failing' school.

So much has been done to improve and invest in education that it would be a great pity if we can't get this crucial bit of the equation right.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

The Lord's Diary

I have just finished my second full week in the Lord's. My main task in life has been to sit, watch and learn. There are many similarities with the Commons but quite a few important differences.

Apart from the decorative bits like calling people "Lord's" or "Noble Lord's"  (Which I'm going to find quite difficult) the main difference is the nature of the debates and the voting and the fact that there is no Speaker. I really want to change the name of this place - Senators has a long and distinguished history.

Debates are less confrontational and we vote less often. Second reading Bills for example are nearly always voted on in the Commons but never in the Lord's.

The long night sittings that used to take place in the Commons and which were abandoned a few years ago are still happening in the Lord's. In the Lord's there is no Speaker to keep order or to decide who asks a question. So people just jump up together and try to get in first. A gentleman's club with more then a touch of anarchy!

The accommodation is seriously bad - almost as bad as the Commons thirty years ago. I share an office about 15' square with three other Lord's. I only got my computer on Friday and I am still working out what secretarial or other help I can afford.

I hope to make my first speech - yes it's called a maiden speech just like the Commons - next week. Until I have done that I can't ask questions or table amendments or any of the other things I might want to do.

Watch this space for further news of the transition of this caterpillar into a butterfly!!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Faith Schools

Margaret hodge has made a speech on faith schools which picks up many of the points made here and also touched on by Trevor Phillips. I agree with the thrust of the speech and it does indicate a move in the right direction. http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,16518,1592886,00.html

Personally I prefer not to have religious schools and agree with those who say we should not subsidise them but I know they are popular and I am prepared to accept that.

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Tony Blair and Progress

Following some of the comments about conference and our policies generally it is worth reading in full Tony Blair's speech to Progress. http://www.labour.org.uk/news/tbprogress05

Monday, October 10, 2005

Labour Party Conference

Apart from the appalling and deeply embarrassing treatment of Walter Wolfgang the Labour Party conference was predictably low key.

I didn’t hear Gordon Brown’s speech but I did hear Tony’s and predictably he manages to speak to a wide audience. It is one of his skills.

There is a sense that these speeches are no longer the best way to communicate either with members or the general public. It is noticeable that all three major parties are struggling to find a better format.

I don’t take the view that annual conferences have passed their sell by date but I do find it difficult to come up with the type of reforms we need to keep them truly relevant.

The policy discussion groups are very good and members get a far better opportunity to discuss issues in depth and with relevant Ministers then they did in the old system.

Somehow though it is still not enough. The Policy forum approach throughout the year is good but involves too few members. How though do you include more members without making it unwieldy?

We should be finding ways of using the new technology including blogs to enable members to have a greater input.

I am very clear however that there should be no return to the old system where one year we were in favour of joining the EU and the next year in favour of leaving it. That sort of policy making not only embedded conflict but also helped keep us out of office for 18 years.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Guardian and blogs

There was an interesting Guardian/ICM poll on young people and blogging in the Guardian last Friday. http://www.guardian.co.uk Apparently a third of all young people online have launched their own blog or website but only one in ten uses it for news or current affairs.

It’s a revolution but a revolution in its infancy.

House of Lords

Tomorrow the House of Lords resumes debates and I will be sitting in trying to get a feel for the place.

You really need a couple of weeks to get an idea of the day to day activities and a lot more time after that to truly feel confident in understanding and using a legislature whether it’s the Commons or the Lords.

In the Commons I found that I was only able to use it really effectively after about three years. That doesn’t mean you just sit and watch or listen but the range of opportunities, the committees, the ways you could influence the debates and decisions are much more varied then are immediately apparent.

I suspect the same will be true of the Lords.

On Monday there is a debate on Report of the Committee on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill. Tuesday sees a debate on Second Reading of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. Neither of these will be voted on at this stage but I am supportive of both measures. I do however want to see some of the detail in both cases.

Tory Conference

The Tory Party conference was more successful then I had expected.

I think they are getting serious about their future! I have mixed feelings about this. I think we do need a more effective opposition but we had better recognise that the next election will be much tougher if the Tories do revive.

I also suspect Cameron might win the leadership battle. He is an unknown quantity.