Lord Alton: ‘Peers have a duty to scrutinise the flawed assisted suicide bill’
Throughout my time in parliament, first in the House of Commons, and now in the House of Lords, assisted suicide has been a subject of serious and sustained debate. My views are well known, and my basis for them is based on principles and practicalities. First, legalising assisted suicide undermines the inherent dignity and worth of every […]
Michael Gove awarded peerage in Sunak’s resignation honours list
Michael Gove is among several former cabinet ministers to be given a seat in the House of Lords in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list. The former levelling up secretary served in the cabinets of four prime ministers before standing down as an MP ahead of last July’s general election. A rare constant across the fourteen […]
Badenoch appoints allies to House of Lords, including former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey
Kemi Badenoch has appointed a set of political allies to the House of Lords, including former deputy prime minister Thérèse Coffey. Coffey served as Liz Truss’ number two during the latter’s short stay in Downing Street. She also served as health secretary under Truss and then as environment secretary during Rishi Sunak’s tenure as prime […]
Sue Gray named among new Labour appointments to House of Lords
Keir Starmer has nominated a raft of new Labour peers. Partygate investigator and the prime minister’s former chief of staff, Sue Gray, is among the Labour figures set to be elevated to the House of Lords. Luciana Berger, the former MP for Liverpool Wavertree who resigned from Labour in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership in […]
Theresa May, Graham Brady and Chris Grayling among new nominees to the House of Lords
Former prime minister Theresa May, former cabinet minister Chris Grayling and senior Conservative backbencher Sir Graham Brady are among those set to receive dissolution peerages. A notice released at 9.00 pm read: “The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned: Nominations […]
Rwanda Bill sent back to MPs after peers inflict seven defeats on government
The Safety of Rwanda Bill has been sent back to MPs by peers, after the House of Lords inflicted seven defeats on the government on Wednesday evening. The Lords voted that the government’s bill should have “due regard” for international law, and that the UK’s treaty with Rwanda should be fully implemented before flights start. […]
Conservative peer claims Rwanda is ‘perfectly safe’ if you don’t oppose the government
MPs voted to reject the House of Lords’ first attempt to amend the Safety of Rwanda Bill on Monday evening, meaning the legislation has now been sent back to the upper chamber as the process of parliamentary “ping pong” continues. Among the changes proposed by peers and rejected by a majority in the House of […]
Labour will introduce citizens’ assemblies after ‘transformational’ success in Ireland
The Labour Party has said it is drawing up plans to introduce “citizens’ assemblies” which could be used to bypass Whitehall and make key decisions. Sue Gray, the chief of staff to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, has said in her first interview in the role that plans are being worked on to involve the […]
‘Lecturing’ Rishi Sunak rebuked as House of Lords votes to delay Rwanda treaty
The House of Lords voted 214-171 last night in favour of delaying Rishi Sunak’s flagship UK-Rwanda immigration treaty. The votes centred on delay motions from Labour peer Lord Goldsmith, who serves as chairman of the chamber’s International Agreements Committee. Lord Goldsmith’s committee previously presented a report identifying ten sets of issues where “significant additional legal […]
Minister claims Rwanda Bill will pass House of Lords ‘fairly fast’, despite peers’ concerns
The Safety of Rwanda Bill should make it through the House of Lords “fairly fast”, a minister has claimed this morning after Rishi Sunak’s flagship legislation cleared its House of Commons stages last night. Chris Philp, a Home Office minister, insisted the government would aim for deportation flights to start “as soon as possible”. He […]
