Category: House of Lords

Minister Tells Parliament Non-Crime Hate Incidents Should Not ‘Inhibit Lawful Debate’

A government minister has told a debate in the House of Lords the controversial policy of recording non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) should not be used to inhibit free speech. Lord Murray of Blidworth, a parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Home Office, told a debate on Wednesday, “Non-crime hate incidents have attracted a significant amount…


Foreign Criminals Could Have Impunity to Commit Crime in UK If Plug Pulled on ECHR

Senior politicians have been told of the “devastating” impact on UK crime and justice if the government leaves the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Foreign criminals would have impunity to break laws in Britain, extradition between UK and European Union countries would cease, and investigators would no longer have access to DNA, fingerprint, and…


New UK Legislation Could See Journalists Prosecuted for Receiving a Press Release, Peer Claims

Journalists who receive “an innocuous press release” could be arrested and prosecuted under new national security legislation going through Parliament, a peer has warned. In a debate on the National Security Bill in the House of Lords on Wednesday, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, a Green Party peer, said, “A lot of journalists and organisations have contacted…


Future of Britain’s House of Lords Uncertain, Amid Accusations of Cronyism

The official opposition may not have been thinking only of Lady Mone, baroness of Mayfair, in announcing its proposal to get rid of Britain’s House of Lords. But as Labour offers a dramatic reform of the country’s 1,000-year-old institution, recent allegations against the Tory peer have hardened perceptions it is “staffed with cronies or supporters…


Starmer Says UK Is ‘Broken Model’ as Labour Unveils Replacement for House of Lords

The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has described Britain as a “broken model” and said the country was “crying out for a new approach.” Speaking in Leeds at the launch of a report (pdf) by Labour’s Commission on the UK’s future, headed by ex-premier Gordon Brown, Starmer said the country needed…


House of Lords Should Be Replaced With Elected ‘Modern Second Chamber’: UK Labour Party

The House of Lords should be replaced with an elected “modern second chamber,” the UK’s main opposition Labour Party has said. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the British Parliament. Its main job is to scrutinise and amend parliamentary bills proposed by the House of Commons before they pass into law. The…


UK Government Accused of Cover-Up for Withholding Security Advice on Peerage for Russian Tycoon

The UK government has been accused of a “cover-up” after it refused to release detailed security advice over a Russian-born businessman’s entry to the House of Lords. British–Russian media mogul Evgeny Lebedev, whose father worked as a KGB agent, was made a lifelong member of the upper house of the British Parliament in July 2020….


House of Lords Told to Use Inclusive Language and Avoid Offense Terms Such as ‘Manpower’

The House of Lords, a major tenant of British democracy as the second chamber of the UK Parliament, has sent out an “Inclusive Language Guide” to its members on what words they can use and ones they should avoid. The House plays a crucial role, in questioning government action and investigating public policy with the…


Lords Defeat UK Government Over Voter ID Proposals

The UK’s House of Lords has inflicted a defeat on the government over its plans to introduce photographic voter ID. Voters casting their vote in polling stations in England, Scotland, and Wales currently do not need to present any form of identification, though photographic voter ID is a requirement in Northern Ireland. The Conservative Party’s…


UK Lords Challenge Government Over Chinese Takeover of Semiconductor Firm

Members of the upper house of the British parliament have questioned the government over the planned Chinese takeover of one of the UK’s biggest microchip factories, warning that the deal could threaten the UK’s “national resilience.” Newport Wafer Fab (NWF), based in Wales, specialises in manufacturing the more advanced compound semiconductors, which is the key…