Lords
Proceedings
18 May 2026
King’s Speech
My Lords, in the King’s Speech we were told that the Government are going to pursue a foreign policy
“based on a calm assessment of the national interest”.
The Prime Minister often reassures us that he intends to act in the national interest. I would have thought that went without saying. But with…
Lords
Proceedings
18 May 2026
King’s Speech
My Lords, in the King’s Speech we were told that the Government are going to pursue a foreign policy
“based on a calm assessment of the national interest”.
The Prime Minister often reassures us that he intends to act in the national interest. I would have thought that went without saying. But with…
Lords
Debate
17 March 2026
Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble Address Motion
Further to the question from the noble Lord, Lord West, I understand that the amount that Lord Mandelson is to receive is much less than he asked for. The Minister said that that was to save costs. In many cases, there is surely a commercial reason for settling, but, given that this case is of such …
Lords
Debate
11 March 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, my name is on the series of amendments that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has spoken to, and I will make a few brief comments in support of them. Before I do, I shall make a few observations about Amendment 394. The noble Lord, Lord Davies, has not yet spoken to it, and he may be able to a…
The prosecuting authorities have decided in these cases, for whatever reason, that they think it appropriate to bring a prosecution, to bring the matter before a court where a jury determines what is right. We trust juries—I know that it is a contentious issue at the moment as to what extent we trus…
Lords
Debate
9 March 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, this group of amendments was due to be heard last Wednesday. We were sent away just before midnight but reassured that they would be heard first thing on Monday. Well, it is 9.30 pm; I suppose that is first thing.
Amendment 377 is an important amendment, supported by the noble Lords, Lord…
I am grateful to all those who took part in this debate. I think the issues have rather narrowed between those who have taken part in it. For the first time during the course of these debates on this issue, we had some drafting points from the noble Lord, Lord Marks. They have come late, but none th…
Lords
Debate
9 March 2026
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, the right to protest is an interesting concept. We all agree, on all sides of the House, that there is a right to protest. But, as with most rights—the right to free speech or the right to assemble, for example—in English common law it is not part of our law but part of our common law. We …
Lords
Proceedings
2 March 2026
2 contributions
Middle East
My Lords—
My Lords, the Leader referred to a “clear legal mandate” that would be needed by our troops if they were to act in the defensive way in which the Government have said that they may be able to do. I looked at the summary of the Government’s legal advice, which was rather restricted to
“acting in sel…
Lords
Debate
2 March 2026
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, I apologise for being a little late into the Chamber; things moved much more rapidly than I think any of us anticipated. I spoke about this issue at some length, I fear, at Second Reading, in setting out what I thought were the difficulties legally in this area. In Committee, I invited the…
Lords
Committee Stage
11 February 2026
2 contributions
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
My Lords, I enter this debate to support the three previous speakers. I declare an interest as the chair of the Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates almost all local media. In that capacity, I have had the opportunity to visit a large number of regional newspapers, to talk to th…
The noble Baroness maybe somewhat misunderstood what I said. I actually asked her—this is part of the provision in the Bill—what she thought the local authority would think appropriate for the way the information is published. That is a matter for the Government rather than for local newspapers.
Lords
Debate
22 January 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, I share with the noble Lord, Lord Carter, concern and admiration for our firearms officers and officers generally, who have a very difficult job. I declare an interest having acted for police forces in cases involving the use of firearms. However, I do not share his conclusions about these…
His Majesty’s Opposition are broadly in favour of these provisions, but I ask the noble Lord: if this becomes law, how is a judge going to change his or her approach to the issue of anonymity from the position that prevailed before this change? How is it going to alter things?
Lords
Debate
13 January 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, my Amendment 382H, to which the noble Lords, Lord Godson and Lord Hogan- Howe, have added their names, covers the use in this area of the law of the defence of lawful or reasonable excuse in relation to public order offences.
As the noble Lord, Lord Davies, has said, the law is in a state…
Of course, this is an amendment, so the Government will not have given the certification of compliance with the European convention. Were the Minister to accept the amendment and it to become part of the Bill, the Government could then certify that it did comply with the European convention and it w…
Lords
Proceedings
11 December 2025
The UK’s Demographic Future
My Lords, it is a great pleasure to take part in this important debate and to follow the noble Lord, Lord Faulks. It is, however, an occasion tinged with sadness, because it marks the retirement of one of our most talented, fair, honest and hard-working colleagues, my noble friend Lord Hodgson of As…
Lords
Debate
9 December 2025
3 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, I have an amendment in this group. I repeat a declaration of interest I made at Second Reading: that I have appeared as a barrister in a number of the leading cases about limitation of the law of tort. The purpose of limitation periods is to give a claimant a fair chance to decide whether …
The noble Baroness is quite right that the response to IICSA came from the previous Government. It was written by the Ministry of Justice and signed by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Bellamy. While not in any way undermining his contribution to whatever was produced, I suspect that it was the work…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Proceedings
20 November 2025
Asylum Policy
My Lords, during the passage of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Minister made it quite clear that the Government would not in any way amend the Human Rights Act 1998 and that they were very concerned about the independence of the judiciary. Yet the Statement refers to potential…
Lords
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
Child Grooming Victims: Compensation Awards
Of course, we are speaking generically about victims of grooming, but they may fall into a number of different categories. There are the grooming gangs, about which a great deal has been heard, but there are also, for example, victims of online grooming. So I cannot really give an answer as to who t…
Lords
Oral Questions
10 November 2025
Financial Provision on Divorce
My Lords, I join in thanking my noble friend Lady Deech for again introducing this important debate. Her timeless and tireless tenacity in pushing this thing forward is exemplary, and I commend her for all she has done in trying to reform this crucial part of family law.
The Law Commission’s scopin…
Lords
Debate
5 November 2025
3 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, there cannot be any doubt that the system which has been working—if that is the right word—for some considerable time is very unsatisfactory. I think that is probably recognised by the Government and was certainly recognised by the previous Government. The noble Lord, Lord Davies, summaris…
I do not want the noble Lord to have to repeat himself, but he said earlier that there was going to be a statement in relation to the Government’s approach to asylum, but then he said to me that there was going to be legislation. Now, I understand that he has not yet got clear riding instructions. I…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
16 October 2025
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for the introduction of her Bill, which has much to commend it. Earlier this year, I indicated that I would retire in the spring. However, I am a politician, and I did not say which spring. I really do want to retire, but I have one last parliamentary task to …
Lords
Debate
13 October 2025
6 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, when the Government first came into power last year, great emphasis was placed by the Prime Minister and his Attorney-General on the importance of the rule of law and in particular respect for international law. We were told that there was no way the Government would revisit the Human Righ…
I know that the Minister is in some difficulty because he has not been given clear riding instructions, but this is a fundamental point for the British public. They need to know the general direction of travel. The Minister has been good enough to be clear that there is no way the ECHR will be devia…
+4 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
13 October 2025
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, the amendment is legally coherent and that is very much in its favour. It contains a tacit acknowledgment of the dualist system that we have in this country. That means that we are bound by domestic law and bound by international law only in so far as it has it has been incorporated in dom…
Lords
Debate
3 September 2025
3 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, I know that the Government vigorously opposed the Rwanda Bill, and indeed the Prime Minister described it as a gimmick, or words to that effect. I understand that that is the Government’s position, and I do not expect them to change their mind. But the point worth making is that, although …
Before the Minister sits down, I understand exactly what he said about the list, but how does a tribunal determine in an individual case whether a country is safe?
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
3 September 2025
6 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
The noble Lord says that it would be “Trumpian” to take the course that is being suggested. Supposing that in the Supreme Court, the majority and the minority had been the other way round—and it may be that the majority was taking the correct view—there would be a decision of the Supreme Court which…
The noble Lord says that it was good. There was a provision in the Rwanda Bill which said that, notwithstanding deeming that Rwanda was safe, it might not be safe for the individual, so the Bill would not even have worked.
+4 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
14 July 2025
Trial by Jury: Proposed Restrictions
My Lords, further to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, can I ask the Government to take particular note of the recommendation in relation to fraud trials? This is not a new suggestion; it goes back to Lord Roskill about 50 years ago. These are very lengthy, very expensive trials, which…
Lords
Debate
8 July 2025
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, I make just one technical point. We are here to discuss whether or not these amendments are going to work if they are passed.
Amendment 35, for example, deals with the defence of reasonable excuse by reference to a number of international conventions. I am a bit concerned as to how a cour…
Lords
Oral Questions
9 June 2025
Cluster Munitions Convention: Article 21
Let me be absolutely clear to the noble Lord: ratification of the CCM and subsequent removal of cluster munitions from our inventory does not constrain UK military capability nor prevent interoperability with allies. The UK has successfully developed alternative systems and policies that have allowe…