Have you ever wondered what the House of Lords does, how it works and who makes up its membership?
The House of Lords is the second chamber of UK Parliament. It plays a crucial role in examining bills, questioning government action and investigating public policy.
Hear from members of the House of Lords as the Lord Speaker finds out what influences their work in and beyond the Lords.
Each episode sees Lord McFall of Alcluith discover what drives members and what they hope to achieve in their time in Parliament.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have you ever wondered what the House of Lords does, how it works and who makes up its membership?
The House of Lords is the second chamber of UK Parliament. It plays a crucial role in examining bills, questioning government action and investigating public policy.
Hear from members of the House of Lords as the Lord Speaker finds out what influences their work in and beyond the Lords.
Each episode sees Lord McFall of Alcluith discover what drives members and what they hope to achieve in their time in Parliament.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
‘The US is just so obsessed about being big, it doesn't understand that by others becoming bigger, the US can become wealthier.’
Jim O’Neill, Lord O’Neill of Gatley, is an ex-Treasury Minister, former Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs and Crossbench member of the House of Lords.
In this latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner, Lord O’Neill shares his perspectives with Lord McFall of Alcluith on a range of topics, from China and the USA to AI, the risks of rising antimicrobial resistance and why Manchester should be prioritised as Britain’s second city.
At Goldman Sachs, Lord O’Neill coined the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) to describe the group of emerging economies. In this episode he shares his thoughts on how that has progressed, as well as President Donald Trump’s current tariffs approach by the US. He explains ‘the path which Trump seems to have embarked on, of aggressive confrontation, is not likely to be sustained because it is in America's interests for China to continue to do well economically.’
He also shares his thoughts on the current approach to AI, warning against letting tech sectors self-regulate: ‘this idea that just let the financial sector regulate itself and there'd be no problem…that didn't turn out too well, did it? And there's a lot of these AI guys wanting to do the same.’
Lord O’Neill also calls for greater devolution, with powers for regions to raise local taxes, suggesting ‘people here (in Westminster) need to have excitement about giving responsibility to local people in these places to make a national difference.’ He also calls for devolution on welfare-spending with health-linked budgets for local authorities: ‘There's a serious case for exploring devolving aspects of the welfare support budget as it links to critical health illness’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, speaks about why she is campaigning on topics including salmon farming and water company pollution in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.
‘We’ve seen water companies polluting our waterways, our beaches, our lovely fishing streams… our chalk streams that are very rare and precious. And yet, we still can’t stop them doing it.’
Baroness Jones is one of two Green members of the House of Lords alongside Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle. In this episode, she speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about why she campaigns on a range of topics.
‘People carry on eating salmon, even though the way they’re produced in salmon farms is absolutely horrifying. It is the lice. The fish in the farm suffer, quite often die in their pens because the lice have eaten so far into their flesh. Wild Atlantic salmon going past these fish farms can get poisoned by the toxic stuff, all the antibiotics and so on, coming off the farm fish.’
Baroness Jones describes how members initially questioned the Green link to various issues when she first joined the Lords but how that has now changed. She explains ‘I had to explain to people everything is about the environment. If you build the wrong houses in the wrong place, then it's a disaster for future flooding, and so on.’
Baroness Jones also shares how she came to the Lords after training as an archaeologist and later serving as a London Assembly Member and Deputy Mayor.
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Former leader of the Labour party Neil Kinnock, Lord Kinnock, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
‘I guess that's what gave me my politics basically. The idea that many people working together could produce and provide at the level of quality that would've been absolutely impossible for the individual or the family.’
Lord Kinnock speaks about growing up in south Wales and what drew him to politics, his early years as an MP and the Labour party of the late 80s and early 90s. He also speaks about his regrets from his time as leader, plus how politics and public discourse has changed today:
‘I don't want deference. Deference is not part of my makeup and I don't want anybody else to show it. But respect, accommodation, compassion, those instincts are fundamental to human beings, and they're too often being discarded or suppressed.’
Lord Kinnock also explains that he wished he had challenged the President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Arthur Scargill, more forcefully about the need to ballot its members:
'I told Scargill at the beginning of April 1984 that without a ballot, the strike would not succeed. And I said it publicly, I just wish that I'd said it more publicly (even), and repeatedly over the subsequent months as a way of simply telling the truth to men and their families who were showing superhuman loyalty to the cause and whose loyalty was being abused by someone who had a very peculiar, very odd interpretation of what he thought of as his socialist mission, which was misplaced and misleading and assisted in tragedy. I've said before that Scargill and Thatcher deserved each other. Nobody else did.'
The former Labour leader also gives a rare insight into private discussions between himself and Shadow Chancellor John Smith in preparation for the 1992 general election. Watch or listen to the full episode to find out more.
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Former top diplomat Simon McDonald, Lord McDonald of Salford, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Lord McDonald shares his views on a range of current international issues from President Trump and Greenland to the Chagos Islands and British soft power, plus changes to the global approach of the USA, China and Russia:
‘For most of my career, the reasons why the institutions of the late 1940s were fraying were because Russia and then China were not particularly happy with that post Second World War settlement. The surprise in recent years is the United States being a revisionist power, not liking the bill paid by the United States to underpin that settlement.’
Lord McDonald was previously Head of the Diplomatic Service, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has served as Ambassador to Israel and to Germany. In this episode, he speaks to Lord McFall about what drew him to public service both in the Foreign Office and the House of Lords:
‘I think British public service is part of what defines our country and helps us through crisis. And I think it is a fact that in this House there are a group of people who are here to help, to help other people, not to help themselves. They are here to bring their expertise to bear. They're here to listen to other people. They are here to gather evidence before they make up their minds. And I think those are solid attributes of public service.’
Lord McDonald also talks about the role of the Civil Service and ministers, plus the challenges of planning for successive governments:
‘One reason why our projects across the board are worse than, say, similar projects in Japan or China or even France, is our planning regime, that every single road, bridge, railway has to go through a very protracted planning legal procedure. Every government I've worked for identified our planning laws as an obstacle, and every government so far has failed really to grip it. I note that the new Labour government is gearing up to attempt. I hope they succeed. But I note that every previous effort has failed.’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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From politics to comedy to campaigning against anti-social behaviour, broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Baroness Hazarika grew up in Coatbridge, Scotland and is the first person of Indian Assamese heritage to join the House of Lords. She rose to become a senior adviser to Labour figures including Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband, playing a crucial role preparing them for PMQs:
‘I think Prime Minister's Questions gets a very bad rap, because it does often become quite Punch and Judy, but I think it's a really important function of our democracy. There are not many democracies around the world where the principal politician in the land is called to the same spot week in, week out, and faces questions on any topic from any Member of Parliament across the country.’
In this episode, Baroness Hazarika talks about her unlikely career path from politics to stand-up comedy and broadcasting, and back to politics. She also explains to Lord McFall how she will use her new political platform to campaign against anti-social behaviour and crime:
‘I don't like calling this low-level crime, because I don't think it's low-level crime. But I think this stuff is not easy, but the more we talk about it and the more we press government ministers, that puts the pressure on them to keep on keeping this a priority.’
Finally, Baroness Hazarika tells Lord McFall about receiving the phone call to offer her a place in the Lords, explaining ‘I really couldn't believe it, because if you're somebody like me from my background and you've loved politics your whole life, it's a real honour to be asked to join the House of Lords for the party that you have served and the party you love.’
She shares that this wasn’t the first thought that went through her head though, saying ‘The person said, “I'm calling on behalf of Keir Starmer. This is really serious. Are you by yourself? I think you better sit down.” And the first thing I thought was, "Oh my goodness, what have I been saying on my social media? Am I about to get cancelled, or am I about to get suspended from the Labour Party? Have I said something terrible?’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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From the Foreign Office to National Security Adviser to Cabinet Secretary, Mark Sedwill – Lord Sedwill – is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
‘It comes down in the end to the quality of the individual and then they'll get the best out of the best civil servants.’
In this episode, Lord Sedwill shares his perspectives on the relationship between ministers and officials, reforming the Civil Service and what his advice would be for the new Cabinet Secretary.
‘There was a period which is now coming towards an end, a decade when the UK became quite introspective’
A former diplomat, including Nato representative and UK Ambassador to Afghanistan, Lord Sedwill also shares his perspectives on the UK’s changing role internationally, plus its need to actively engage the BRIC countries.
‘Diplomacy is not about talking to your friends. Diplomacy is about talking to your adversaries and seeing if you can find a way of dealing with the situation if possible without conflict.’
Lord Sedwill also speaks about working in some of most intense regions for the Foreign Office including Egypt and Iraq, where once he was held at gunpoint by a young man as he was trying to gain access to one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces as a UN Weapons Inspector.
‘This youngster, he was probably only 16 or 17. He wasn't scared of us, he was scared of getting it wrong and what would happen to him or his family. And I remember having to calm the situation down… I intervened and just used my Arabic and tried to calm the situation down. And that's probably the closest I ever came to being shot directly by someone where there was absolutely no protection.’
See more from the series at https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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From education to government, Northern Ireland to Hong Kong, organising a Papal visit to leading a university, Chris Patten speaks about his life and work.
‘You engage them, first of all, without the sort of mushy feeling that you can't do business with them unless you accept their political narrative… we should talk to the Chinese, but we should do so in a pretty clear-sighted way.’
In a wide-ranging discussion, outgoing Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former Governor of Hong Kong Lord Patten of Barnes speaks to the Lord Speaker about China’s approach to the former British dependent territory. He also discusses his time dealing with China while a European Commissioner and his view on engagement with Beijing today. He reflects on his experience in government and in particular in Northern Ireland, sharing his perspective on the importance of ‘recognising that identity politics can't be allowed to destroy the ordinary civility of life.’
Following the end of his Chancellorship of the University of Oxford, he also shares what he has learnt during his time there, including the importance of a range of educational opportunities. He explains ‘a university which is doing apprenticeship courses alongside degrees… a higher education establishment that is helping people to become plumbers or electricians, is just as important as universities. They are all part of making us more successful and a more congenial society.’
Finally, Lord Patten shares the importance of giving people the chance to make a difference, saying ‘whether we're Labour or Conservative, ultimately we want the government to work.’
Hear more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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‘I'd heard bombs before, so I knew it was a bomb.’
Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler - Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher - was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.
‘This is our opportunity to show that terrorism can't defeat democracy’
Now Lord Butler of Brockwell tells the Lord Speaker about his experience, from their initial reaction to the blast, to going back to retrieve the prime minister’s papers, and shares Margaret Thatcher’s response to his suggestion she postpone the start of the Conservative Party Conference the next morning.
‘I devoted my life to assisting politicians with government.’
Lord Butler worked closely with five prime ministers, from Edward Heath to Tony Blair. In this episode he shares his experience of working with each of them either as private secretary or cabinet secretary. He speaks about later work of prime ministers on Northern Ireland, negotiations with Europe, why he joined the civil service and the growing role of special advisers. He also shares his thoughts on reforming the Civil Service, arguing that ‘you’ve got to reform it constantly… But you've got to lead the Civil Service in my view, and not drive them’
Hear more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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‘This morning, even this morning, I was in my prayer saying to God, "What am I doing here?”’
Justin Welby, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, senior bishop in the Church of England and leader of the bishops in the House of Lords, speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith.
‘Growing up was pretty complicated to put it mildly.’
In this expansive interview, he speaks to the Lord Speaker about his early life, what drew him to the church from the oil industry and the path to ultimately become Archbishop. He shares that he had an unlikely route to ordination, let alone becoming Archbishop, having been told ‘there is no place for you in the church.’ He also reflects on his time as bishop in Coventry, Durham and Liverpool, including his work on poverty, reconciliation and the Community of the Cross of Nails, and meeting the Pope. Lord McFall also asks about their joint work on the banking sector following the 2008 financial crisis, whether politics and religion can intersect, and what the Archbishop’s hopes are for the next generation.
‘I think that in the public sense, you put on a role, you wear it… Privately, we're just the same as anyone else. We wonder about the right thing to do.’
The Archbishop also discusses the experience of his sometimes very public role, occasionally acting as ‘vicar to the country’ and offers an insight into his part in both the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III.
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Lord Speaker’s Corner returns for a new Parliament and Lord McFall of Alcluith’s first guest is former Director General of MI5 and Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Jonathan Evans, Lord Evans of Weardale.
‘MI5 in those days was very secretive, had a very low public profile… it was only on day two of my initial training course that I realised I'd actually joined MI5.’
In this episode, hear from Lord Evans about his experience at MI5, including his work in Northern Ireland and later tackling the threat from Al-Qaeda. You can also hear about his role as head of the Service at a time it was increasingly opening up while confronting new challenges.
‘We are faced with an increasing alignment between states that are hostile to our values and, in some cases, are actively war fighting in Europe… it's extremely important that we are as integrated in our response.’
Lord Evans also explains how threats have changed since he joined MI5, the importance of the UK’s international relationships for security and the impact of countries such as China, Iran and Russia.
‘I think the fact that we are operating in so many countries demonstrates that conflict is one of the big drivers of problems in the world, one of the biggest humanitarian challenges in the world.’
Lord Evans is the Chair of the HALO Trust and shares his thoughts on the work the charity does and why it is important, explaining that ‘communities impacted by conflict can't rebuild’ without support.
Lord Evans also reflects on his work in ethics as the former Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life under previous prime ministers: ‘There may be a short-term advantage in bending the rules, but there's a long-term advantage in being seen to be acting with integrity.’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Sovereignty, tackling terrorism and even Macbeth are on the agenda in the latest Lord Speaker’s Corner as David Anderson, Lord Anderson of Ipswich KC, speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith.
‘You were inventing effectively a new system… that had to be common to all the difference countries of Europe… It seemed to me much better to do it that way than to be fighting each other as we had been for hundreds of years.’
King’s Counsel Lord Anderson is a leader in European and public law. He has been involved in multiple ground-breaking legal judgments and argued more than 180 cases at the European Court of Justice and European Court of Human Rights. In this episode, he talks to Lord McFall about Factortame, the landmark case on parliamentary sovereignty versus European law that saw English courts disapply an Act of Parliament. He also discusses the impact of this and other cases, reflecting ‘I did wonder in retrospect whether it might've been one of the reasons for Brexit.’
Lord Anderson also explains his thinking on sovereignty and where power lies today:
‘I think in having a political constitution where Parliament is in charge, we've done the right thing. Where I think the difficulty lies is in the relationship between the executive and Parliament... I think it was Gladstone who once said that our constitution more than any others presumes the good sense and the good faith of those who work it.’
He also shares his perspective that we don’t need a written constitution but argues ‘if we had a constitutional code or a code of constitutional principles for use in legislation, then that would help actors in the constitutional drama. And I think it would also help inform the public.’
Lord Anderson was previously the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. His work, including the influential report A Question of Trust, paved the way for greater transparency of the government’s powers and their use:
‘It was dangerous because there was not sufficient trust of the people that are supposed to keep us safe. So what we ended up with was a bill which became an Act of Parliament, which greatly increased the transparency. That doesn't mean telling the bad guys everything you're doing. But it does mean being clear with Parliament and the public what the powers are and how in principle they could be used.’
He also advised the government on the need for change following the Westminster and Manchester terror attacks, and argued for more cooperation including beyond the state. He explains ‘if you are going to be effective, for example in stopping people from buying bomb-making ingredients online, you're going to need collaboration from big private companies as well, online marketplaces or online sellers and so on.’ Lord Anderson also cautions about reacting to events, warning ‘if you are foolish enough to overreact to what they are doing or to what they are threatening to do, then you are giving them exactly what they want. Because you are marginalising whatever suspect community they are trying to draw their support from… it's hard to do it sometimes, but you've got to retain the rule of law.’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
In this episode, Baroness Young speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about her work tackling modern slavery, race and inequality in the creative sector, and why consumers should challenge companies to do better when they source materials.
Baroness Young has extensive experience telling truth to power. From challenging the workplace dress code of her employer in 1971, to pushing for representation as an actor, to calling on major fashion brands to improve their practices, Baroness Young has regularly campaigned for change.
‘It was to criminalise forced labour and domestic servitude and like virtually everybody else, including people in this House. I said, "Well, isn't that already a crime?" And no, it wasn't. Forced labour on these shores… in essence, that was the start of this country's towards the Modern Slavery Act, which was six years later.’
In 2009, Baroness Young worked with Anti-Slavery International to put forward amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill. She talks about the importance of that work and how it has led her to go further, working with the fashion industry to tackle issues in their supply chains and improve transparency.
Discussing why consumers should hold companies to account for the products they buy, Baroness Young explains ‘some industries will have a supply chain that's metaphorically miles long… [companies] have to take responsibility for it because otherwise what happens when the people who live by a particular river in China find that they can no longer use the water from that river because it's dyed red… We again, are implicated in that practise. So we have to hold businesses to account.’
‘If you think about any one of the scandals that have happened recently, you can talk about Post Office, you can talk about Windrush, you can talk about Grenfell, all of those different things. We always say, "We are never going to let this happen again." And then the next time we say, "We've learned our lesson, it's not going to happen again." And then the next time we say, "We've learned our lesson."’
Baroness Young also explains the need to go beyond inquiries to truly understand issues that face society, explaining ‘these trite phrases don't provide any comfort to the people who suffer.’
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Hear from the Astronomer Royal, Lord Rees of Ludlow, in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.
‘Now that robots can do the things that humans were needed for 50 years ago, the case for sending people is getting weaker all the time.’
In this episode, Martin Rees - astrophysicist, former President of the Royal Society, and now Lord Rees of Ludlow and Astronomer Royal – explains to Lord McFall of Alcluith that he thinks governments should no longer pay for manned spaceflight. He explains ‘robots can do all the practical things,’ meaning that ‘only people who really have a high appetite for risk should be going into space, and they should be privately funded, not by the rest of us.’
Looking beyond Earth, Lord Rees also advocates for the need to focus effort on tackling climate change rather than looking to move to Mars. He suggests that ‘dealing with climate change on earth is a doddle compared to making Mars habitable.’
‘There's a risk that we will leave for our descendants a depleted world with mass extinction… I think it's an ethical imperative that we should change our policies so that, just as we benefit from the heritage of centuries past, we leave a positive heritage for the future.’
From AI to bioethics, climate change to the disparities between the global north and south, Lord Rees shares his perspectives on some of the current challenges that we face. He also gives advice to ageing billionaires, saying ‘these billionaires when they were young, they want to be rich, now they're rich, they want to be young again, and that's not quite so easy to arrange.’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Peter Mandelson - former Cabinet minister, leading figure in New Labour and now Lord Mandelson - speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about his life in politics.
‘Born into the Labour Party’, Lord Mandelson began a career of campaigning at school, where he was reprimanded by his grammar school headteacher for advocating for comprehensive education.
‘It was very difficult in the 1980s. It made me, of course wonder whether I could ever be a Member of Parliament… And that's when I discovered the innate decency of human beings.’
In this often personal interview, Lord Mandelson reflects on the difficulties he faced when he first stood for selection in Hartlepool in 1989 having been outed as a gay man by the News of the World in 1987. He also explains how the people of Hartlepool rallied behind him in the selection process to become their Labour candidate following an attack by his opponent.
Lord Mandelson shares that he ‘loved being a minister’ and how his experience in television helped him prepare for the task of getting the public onboard with difficult decisions. He also talks about his experience of being in government, from his roles as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Business Secretary and the need for ‘big goals, big missions, clear policies consistently pursued over a long period.’
‘Now, this is a constantly flowing river of poison, of polarisation, of people being mean to and about everyone else. And my advice to politicians now is get off it. I'm not on Twitter.’
Lord Mandelson also reflects on the changing political landscape with the rise of AI and social media culture today, warning colleagues to ‘Get off it, go out on the doorstep, talk to the public.’
‘A lot of clear, honest debate goes by the board, because people are so busy taking chunks out of each other. That's fine. That's the adversarial bit of politics. Our end of the parliamentary system is different. It's about scrutiny, it's about debate, it's about revising, it's about advising.’
Finally, Lord Mandelson offers his perspective on the differences between the two Houses of Parliament, plans for reform and what might be next for him, telling the Lord Speaker ‘I'm looking forward to creating a third career.’
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Former top diplomat Lord Ricketts speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about the conflicts in Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, the impact of Brexit and more in this episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Peter Ricketts, an expert in international relations and now a crossbench member of the House of Lords, has previously served as the UK’s ambassador to France and representative to Nato. He has been chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, was the UK’s first national security adviser and the most senior civil servant in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where he was a diplomat for 40 years.
‘I think the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan are rather that you have to think about the longer term consequences. What is the political settlement you want to get to by your military intervention? And it's proved elusive in both Iraq and Afghanistan.’
In this new interview, Lord Ricketts shares his expertise on a wide range of developments around the world. He explains how the change in international approach by countries such as the UK and USA have resulted in a more aggressive stance by Russia, Iran and China on the world stage. He also reflects on the likely outcomes of the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.
‘You begin to lose the challenge that the civil service ought to represent.’
Lord Ricketts also offers his thoughts on politicisation of the civil service, what inspired him to work in the Foreign Office and the impact of frequent turnover of ministers in government departments.
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Lord Lamont talks tackling inflation, controlling interest rates and growing up in Shetland in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.
‘Although I personally would not have joined the ERM and although I personally didn't think it was a disaster when we had to leave, I think the period we were in the ERM for two years did actually do the economy a huge amount of good.’
Norman Lamont, now Lord Lamont of Lerwick, was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the early 90s, and was responsible for trying to restore stability after the UK dramatically crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) on ‘Black Wednesday’. In this episode, he shares with Lord McFall of Alcluith what was going on behind the scenes and explains that despite it being ‘a political disaster… a great humiliation’, it set up the following 15 years of growth.
‘I did actually go and see both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair when they were in opposition. And I told them that it wasn't my business to do anything to help the Labour Party, but I think it would be in the interest, thought it would be in the interest of the country, if they made the Bank of England independent.’
Lord Lamont also explains how he suggested to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair to make the Bank of England independent, having not managed to convince John Major to do the same when he was Prime Minister. He also explains how we have got to where we are with interest rates today, by introducing a policy to use interest rate setting to target a set percentage for inflation.
Born in Shetland, Lord Lamont also explains how growing up there influenced his perspectives on the UK and Europe, and talks about his hopes for the UK's relationship with the EU post-Brexit.
Find out more and watch episodes of Lord Speaker's Corner:
https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
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Hear from Lord Forsyth as he warns of a 'presidential' style of government that he believes has weakened Parliament’s role in scrutinising and improving laws.
'The House of Commons is failing in its function. It’s just abandoned its function of considering legislation properly.'
In this new episode of Lord Speaker's Corner, Lord Forsyth tells Lord McFall of Alcluith that he wants to see 'root and branch' reform to cut the use of time-limits on debates and prevent overuse of secondary legislation. He explains that the task of scrutiny now falls largely to the House of Lords, where members can examine proposed bills with greater rigour because there is no guillotine on debate and every proposed change is debated.
Michael Forysth, now Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, was first elected as an MP in 1983. He went on to serve as a minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, becoming Secretary of State for Scotland in 1995. He was the local MP at the time of the Dunblane Primary School shooting. Speaking about the tragedy, he explains 'It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. It was a huge shock. I still get flashbacks of that scene in the gym.'
In the House of Lords, Lord Forsyth has chaired the Economic Affairs Committee and served on committees investigating the Barnett Formula, House of Lords reform, soft power and the National Security Strategy. He shares why he thinks Lords committee reports are so important and the dangers of government not giving their recommendations due attention.
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'I think I've learned from all of the campaigns, a simple message gets through, complex messages don't.'
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff is a leading doctor, a professor and pioneer in the field of palliative care. 'Always wanting to change the world', Baroness Finlay has often been ahead of the curve in campaigning for change on topics such as smoking, organ donation and protecting young people. Hear about her work in medicine and in the Lords in this episode of Lord Speaker's Corner.
'The internet is a great tool for us who feel fit and well to find things. But the trouble is when people are in despair, it can really suck them down a route of despair... And, of course, when life is gone, it's gone... So I was very keen to work with these parents who want desperately to improve things for others.'
In this episode, Baroness Finlay talks about campaigning for change, including on banning smoking in public places, the 'opt-out' organ donation scheme and most recently on combatting online suicide promotion via the Online Safety Act.
'Wales means a great deal to me. It has provided me with a fantastic platform. I don't believe I could have done what I have done, particularly in palliative care, if I hadn't had such fantastically supportive colleagues in Wales.'
Baroness Finlay also talks about why she applied to join the House of Lords, her thoughts on assisted dying, what she learned during her time as a GP in Maryhill in Glasgow, and the importance of her work in Wales now.
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Lord McFall of Alcluith speaks to former Home Secretary David Blunkett - Lord Blunkett - about his 36-year career in Parliament in the latest episode of Lord Speaker's Corner.
'We anticipated there might be a second attack, particularly on the City of London.'
In this episode, Lord Blunkett discusses a range of topics including the government's immediate response to the tragic events of 9/11, clashing with the Lords over measures introduced post the attacks and how his opinion of the second chamber has subsequently changed.
'There were times, particularly when I was at the Home Office, when the House of Lords asked us to think again and we actually did. And the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act, which was the aftermath of 11 September, was a much better piece of legislation - much more balanced, much more effective - than it would've been had we not listened to the House of Lords with the expertise that existed there.'
Lord Blunkett is one of two members of the Lords who use guide dogs, and he explains how important they have been to him. He also talks about his time in Parliament, his work as Education Secretary and what he thinks is the reason he has got to where he is today - 'sheer pigheadedness', having rejected advice to aim for work in 'piano tuning or telephony or secretarial.'
Finally, Lord Blunkett shares a message for young people today, taking inspiration from both his career and his recent work on education reform:
‘Believe that in even the smallest way, you can make the world a better place. And if it's a better place for you, it's a better place for others around you. So don't take no for an answer, participate when you can... Get a life, get a future, but please stay engaged because if you don't engage with decision-making, if you don't vote, somebody else is voting for you.’
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Hear from broadcaster and campaigner, Floella Benjamin, in the latest episode of Lord Speaker's Corner.
In this episode, Baroness Benjamin explains that it was while presenting TV’s Play School in the 1970s and 1980s that she first realised that 'children didn't have a voice… People didn't take what's going to happen to children into consideration enough.' She has gone on to play a significant role advocating for children's rights.
In this extensive interview, Baroness Benjamin also shares how she overcame discrimination in many forms, from name-calling in the playground to being told there were certain roles non-white actors could not portray on screen. She later discusses the importance of the official commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush Generation.
Baroness Benjamin also reflects on being recognised by Queen Elizabeth II in her final honours list and being asked to carry the Sceptre with Dove in the coronation of King Charles III earlier this year.
Find out more about the Lord Speaker's Corner series and see other episodes
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