Parliament & Government Archive
Clegg faces 'battle royal' over Lords reform
Nick Clegg's claim that there was no support for an unelected House of Lords was met with howls of protest during a Commons debate yesterday which exposed splits within both Labour and the Conservatives on the issue.
Tuesday 28th June 2011
The Conservative voice
Unburdening himself to a radio DJ last week, the prime minister suggested the Tories are ready to offer a clear alternative to their coalition partners, says Sam Macrory.
Tuesday 28th June 2011
Three cheers for Milton Keynes
Iain Stewart speaks to ePolitix about fast trains, Scotland's future and Milton Keynes' unique appeal.
Monday 27th June 2011
New axis to grind
Now in his 70s but showing no sign of slowing down, Lord Ashdown tells Sam Macrory that while the role of the Lib Dems in government brings him pride, the global situation keeps him awake at nights – and obliges us to reconsider our place in the world.
Monday 27th June 2011
Indefensible, yet indispensable
It shouldn’t work, but it does, says David Davis – the Lords continues to act as a key backstop to an overweening Executive. And while not against reform, he advises proceeding with the utmost caution.
Monday 27th June 2011
Grayling praises social benefits of Work Programme
In an exclusive interview with ePolitix.com, the employment minister has described the Work Programme as 'central' to the government's social policy.
Thursday 23rd June 2011
ePolitix.com: PMQs briefing
The Greek bailout, high speed rail and welfare reforms were among the questions asked by backbench MPs at prime minister's questions today.
Wednesday 22nd June 2011
Peers attack 'stonkingly silly' Lords reform bill
Peers lined up to trash the coalition's plans to reform the House of Lords yesterday.
Wednesday 22nd June 2011
Labour attack 'bad' Lords reform bill
Labour has warned it will offer stiff resistance to the coalition's plans to introduce an elected House of Lords.
Tuesday 21st June 2011
Crisis, what crisis?
The story of the last few months for Labour is its far-reaching policy review and an impressive recovery in Wales, insists Peter Hain – not the tales of discord peddled by the media, nor of simmering discontent with the party’s new leader.
Tuesday 21st June 2011
A shadow mayor for Birmingham
The imposition of a Conservative shadow mayor in Birmingham may lead to the city's population "rejecting elected mayors", Lord Hunt of Kings Heath claims.
Tuesday 21st June 2011
Protesters consider Brian Haw tribute
The organisers of a static protest in Parliament Square are seeking ideas on how to create "lasting tributes to the tireless work of Brian Haw".
Monday 20th June 2011
A local landmark
Coalition bust-ups make the headlines but harmony reigns in other policy areas, says Sam Macrory – nowhere more so than localism, where minister Greg Clark has been quietly drafting a bill that he hopes will be revolutionary in its rebalancing of power
Friday 17th June 2011
No more procrastination on Northern Ireland Bill of Rights
Lord Smith of Clifton seeks to keep alive the issue of a separate Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland – as provided for in the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
Wednesday 15th June 2011
MP speaks up for SME's in the South
Caroline Dinenage MP says the prevailing stereotype of "affluent leafy suburbs" obscures the existence of pockets of real deprivation in the South.
Wednesday 15th June 2011
Miliband: 'Labour must change'
Ed Miliband has said too many voters see Labour as being on the side of benefit cheats and bankers who were "ripping off" the majority.
Monday 13th June 2011
John Bercow dismisses 'comic cartoon strip' Daily Mail
John Bercow discusses super injunctions, his tweeting wife Sally and the "sexist, racist, bigoted, comic cartoon strip" Daily Mail.
Tuesday 7th June 2011
Lords a 'farcical free-for-all'
The House of Lords' lack of democratic legitimacy undermines much of the good work it does, writes Lord Tyler.
Tuesday 7th June 2011
Referendums 'should be banned'
Denis MacShane wonders whether the time has come to ban referendums.
Monday 6th June 2011
One third of new MPs took £30,000 pay cut
More than half of the new MPs elected in 2010 took a pay cut to enter Parliament, a report published today revealed.
Friday 3rd June 2011
Lib Dems and Tories 'get on better than Blair and Brown'
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have managed to forge a coalition which is remarkably harmonious, effective and decisive, according to a report by constitutional experts.
Friday 3rd June 2011
MPs expenses figures published
MPs claimed £4.1m in expenses between January and February of this year, figures published today reveal.
Thursday 2nd June 2011
Lord Taylor jailed for expenses fraud
Former Conservative peer Lord Taylor of Warwick has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after being found guilty of falsely claiming more than £11,000 in parliamentary expenses.
Tuesday 31st May 2011
Peers 'oppose Lords reforms'
An overwhelming majority of peers believe a constitutional crisis would emerge if the government forces through plans for a new elected Senate, according to a poll.
Tuesday 31st May 2011
Baroness fires warning shot over Lords reform
A legal expert has warned the government that their plans for reform of the House of Lords will face a "strong" legal challenge.
Thursday 19th May 2011
Government petitions plan revealed
The Cabinet Office's Government Digital Service has unveiled proposals will allow petitions with 100,000 signatories to be debated in Parliament.
Thursday 19th May 2011
Police to investigate Huhne allegations
The police are to conduct interviews with "key individuals" over allegations that Chris Huhne tried to illegally evade speeding fines.
Wednesday 18th May 2011
Clegg's Lords reform plans unveiled
Nick Clegg has unveiled plans for an 80 per cent elected House of Lords with the first elections pencilled in for 2015.
Tuesday 17th May 2011
Boris and the art of the faux-naif
The outcome is obvious when Boris Johnson, playing the part of faux-naif to perfection, comes up against a committee rather too starry-eyed to focus.
Tuesday 17th May 2011
Cameron faces grilling from MPs
David Cameron will be quizzed by senior MPs today, with his economic strategy and Britain's military engagement in Libya and Afghanistan likely to be high on the agenda.
Tuesday 17th May 2011
Public servants should be saved from 'pressured hell holes'
Austin Mitchell MP says concentrating public services and public servants in larger towns is disruptive and damaging.
Tuesday 17th May 2011
Ipsa to be judged by new committee of MPs
MPs have backed proposals to set up a committee to investigate the effectiveness of the unpopular parliamentary expenses regime.
Thursday 12th May 2011
David Laws faces Commons suspension
David Laws faces a seven day suspension from the House of Commons over misuse of his parliamentary expenses.
Thursday 12th May 2011
Clegg's Lords reform plan 'unprincipled'
Labour will accuse Nick Clegg of being unprincipled and unwilling or unable to stand up to the Conservatives when he unveils plans for a partially elected House of Lords.
Thursday 12th May 2011
ePolitix.com: PMQs briefing
The economy, cyber stalking and devolved administrations were among the questions asked by backbench MPs at prime minister's questions today.
Wednesday 11th May 2011
Lib Dems 'punching above their weight'
Nick Clegg has said the Lib Dems will try to step out of the Conservatives shadow in the wake of last week's election defeats.
Wednesday 11th May 2011
A Conservative spring?
The results of last week’s votes will have emboldened David Cameron, but recent history shows that a party can be vulnerable when it is in the ascendant, writes Richard Hall.
Wednesday 11th May 2011
Commons tributes for Cairns
The Speaker has led tributes in the House of Commons to David Cairns, the MP for Inverclyde who died yesterday.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
Ipsa investigations are 'politically motivated'
It has been revealed that 40 MPs are currently under investigation for receiving parliamentary expense claims they should not have been allowed.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
MPs shocked by death of David Cairns
MPs are in mourning for their colleague David Cairns, who died last night.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
Lords becoming 'bloated and dysfunctional'
Steps need to be taken to ensure the House of Lords does not become "bloated" and "dysfunctional" should the coalition's plans to radically overhaul the upper chamber fail, MPs have said.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
Scottish independence needs 'two referendums'
Some media reports suggest that if the Scots vote Yes, they would automatically become independent. Not so, writes professor Robert Hazell.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
MPs suggest Commons catering 'efficiencies'
A wider range of food choices in Portcullis House is among the recommendations from the administration committee on catering and retail services.
Tuesday 10th May 2011
Lord Speaker to stand down
The Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman, has announced she will not seek re-election later this year.
Monday 9th May 2011
AV overwhelmingly rejected in referendum
David Cameron will breathe a sigh of relief after voters crush Liberal Democrat hopes of changing the voting system.
Friday 6th May 2011
The coalition is not going anywhere
The passage of the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill will ensure the survival of the coalition despite today's Lib Dem massacre, says Sam Macrory
Friday 6th May 2011
Welsh Labour falls short of overall majority
Labour have emerged victorious in the Welsh Assembly elections but failed to take overall control despite winning half the seats.
Friday 6th May 2011
Stunning success for SNP in Scotland
Alex Salmond will head Scotland's first ever majority government after the Scottish National Party swept to a stunning victory in the Holyrood elections, opening the door to a referendum on independence.
Friday 6th May 2011
New politics, same as the old
A chance of a generation, as Nick Clegg argued, has passed in abject defeat, writes Sam Macrory
Friday 6th May 2011
Lib Dems punished by voters
The Liberal Democrats have been largely chased out of northern England following a series of extremely bad local council results while the Conservatives appear to have escaped punishment.
Friday 6th May 2011
Coalition divisions over AV 'will heal'
A year ago Nick Clegg wrung a promise of a referendum on the Alternative Vote from David Cameron as the price for joining him in coalition. But his hopes of changing the electoral system appear to have turned to dust in the wake of a bitter campaign.
Thursday 5th May 2011
Clegg faces up to election disappointment
Where once Nick Clegg, the deputy prime ministers still chained to Cameron’s side, would nod earnestly to every prime ministerial boast, yesterday a look of weary disinterest was plastered on his face.
Thursday 5th May 2011
Polls open across the UK
One year on from the general election that swept Labour from power voters return to the polls in a series of ballots including the referendum on changing the voting system.
Thursday 5th May 2011
MPs subject to royal 'gag'
A Labour MP has attacked Commons rules that prevented him criticising the royal family.
Wednesday 4th May 2011
ePolitix.com PMQs briefing
Backbench MPs had one eye on tomorrow's local elections during prime minister's questions this afternoon.
Wednesday 4th May 2011
Miliband insists Clegg snub 'not personal'
Ed Miliband has defended refusing to share a platform with Nick Clegg while campaigning for a change in the voting system, as the polls point to a clear lead for the No campaign.
Wednesday 4th May 2011
Cameron accused of sexism over 'calm down dear' quip
Labour have accused David Cameron of sexism after he told shadow Treasury minister Angela Eagle to "calm down dear".
Wednesday 27th April 2011
Cabinet 'banter' despite AV tension
There was "good light hearted banter" at this morning's Cabinet meeting despite an apparent deepening of the rift within the coalition over referendum on the Alternative Vote.
Tuesday 26th April 2011
Lib Dems will survive AV defeat
Even if the ballot papers confirm a referendum reverse and election losses, do not expect the Liberal Democrats to go into meltdown, writes Richard Hall.
Tuesday 26th April 2011
Nick Clegg: Judge AV 'by its friends'
Voting systems should be judged by their friends, Nick Clegg said today as the decidedly unfriendly AV referendum campaign risks damaging his relationship with David Cameron.
Thursday 21st April 2011
Cameron told to freeze Lords appointments
David Cameron has been told by a group of peers, MPs and academics that his plan to appoint a further 269 peers is "foolish and unsustainable".
Wednesday 20th April 2011
Cross-party clash over AV poll
Former Labour home secretary John Reid has accused supporters of the 'Yes to AV' campaign of seeking "tactical party advantage" in a joint appearence with David Cameron.
Monday 18th April 2011
MPs consider quitting Parliament due to long hours
Many politicians have considered quitting Parliament due to the pressures the job places on their family life, according to a poll of MPs.
Monday 18th April 2011
How does the Speaker recall Parliament?
Government ministers must approach the Speaker for a recall of Parliament.
Friday 15th April 2011
Greens 'will protect services from cuts'
The leader of the Greens has claimed her party is the "true opposition" to the government's plans for public spending.
Friday 15th April 2011