How Queen Victoria hounded her Prime Ministers Wednesday, 17 April, 2024 She gave them no peace. A marvellous new book gives the details of her tempestuous relations with them. Alistair Lexden reviewed it in Parliament’s magazine The House on 15 April. Queen Victoria and Her Prime Ministers: A Personal History By Anne Somerset Published by William Collins Books Queen Victoria began her long reign as an ardent Whig and ended it a diehard Tory. Her Hanoverian... Articles
A turning point for gay people 50 years ago 19th July 2017 On 27 July 1967, Royal Assent was given to the Sexual Offences Bill following long campaigns in the country at large, and in both Lords and Commons; in the... Speeches
Felipe - or Philip? - of Spain 16th July 2017 On 12 July, the King of Spain, Felipe VI, began a three-day State visit. There was comment in The Times about his family connections with our royals. A reader... Recent News
The political deadlock in Northern Ireland 14th July 2017 On Monday, 3 July James Brokenshire, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, gave an optimistic assessment of the prospects for re-establishing devolved... Speeches
Political parties working together 10th July 2017 On 10 July it became clear that Mrs May now believes that the political parties should work together in the national interest. A week before in the Lords... Articles
Keeping covered in the Lords 10th July 2017 Sartorial traditions recently discarded in the House of Commons are stoutly maintained in the Lords chamber –though it is not entirely immune from change where... Articles
Understanding Northern Ireland's history 9th July 2017 It is widely believed that the historical background to Ulster’s troubles is so complicated that it cannot be readily understood. In fact, its principal... Articles
Book Review - The History of Hansard 6th July 2017 Lord Lexden finds much to enjoy about this concise account of the battle to publish parliamentary debates – and the sometimes violent confrontations that ensued... Articles
A Bill to help brothers and sisters who make a home together 4th July 2017 On 3 July, Alistair Lexden introduced a short Private Member’s Bill in the Lords where it was given its formal First Reading. The Bill would extend the Civil... Recent News
Nick Timothy - the reckoning 24th June 2017 Mrs May’s notorious former chief of staff, Nick Timothy, did great damage before and during the election campaign. The scale of it is now clear. Writing in The... Articles