Jon Snow
It’s been a hot news period. Aung San Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest and the freedom of Paul and Rachel Chandler from their kidnap ordeal in Somalia. So spare a thought for the future governance of the United Kingdom…or not.
Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, claims that if the UK were to approach the EU for entry into the Union now the undemocratic House of Lords would b
Jon Snow
One subject that guarantees a yawn amongst the chattering classes, and that is more or less anything to do with the House of Lords.
Jon Snow
Sir Ian Kennedy, the chairman of the Commons standards watchdog is reported today to be in a hurry to fix a new regime for MPs’ expenses before the next election ushers in a new slew of MPs. There is no such hurry in the House of Lords. Nor is anyone in the Lords over anxious…
Jon Snow
Jon Snow blogs on the aftermath of the expense scandal and the call for real reform in the Houses of power.
Jon Snow
The disrepute into which parliament has been dragged by the peers’ and MPs’ expenses scandal continues to dominate politics, over and above party rivalry, writes Jon Snow.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow blogs on the findings that Lord’s expenses are not receipted.
Gary Gibbon
Today’s Eames report into Lords’ expenses would give the commissioner powers to examine claims dating back four years.
Jon Snow
Why is there to be no ‘Legg style’ investigation into the expenses of members of the House of Lords? I have blogged before on the expenses culture in the House of Lords.
Jon Snow
Yes another one joins the House of Lords for life. Alan Sugar is yet one more Labour appointed member of the Upper House pushing the number of peers well beyond the 700 mark.
Jon Snow
Gordon Brown will signal today whether the political classes “get it” when it comes to combating the expenses scandal in parliament. “Getting it” extends well beyond expenses to full-blown reform of our system of governance, as I have written here before.
Jon Snow
Gordon Brown talks of radical constitutional change. So does David Cameron. So does Nick Clegg. But is it going to happen? It was the 19th century radical John Bright who conjured the phrase “Mother of Parliaments”. It’s a cosy, reassuring concept and has often been distorted to suggest Westminster is the “Mother of Parliaments”.
Jon Snow
I first set eyes on Gordon Brown at Edinburgh University in 1970. We were both involved in student protests in our respective universities and I’d been invited from Liverpool University to give a talk to him and his fellow protesters on the campus in Edinburgh.
Jon Snow
I am reliably informed that when new peers arrive in the House of Lords, there is a kind of informal induction process. Baroness Helena Kennedy of The Shaws tells me that when she arrived in the house, a peer came up to her and almost immediately opened the question of “second homes”.
Jon Snow
I am very struck by the huge response to both Snowblog and Channel 4 News this week – high-quality contributions and a number of very personal comparisons with what is happening in regard to disclosure of MPs‘ arrangements. Stan, as you return to work today after nine months without a job, I wish you well.