The Environment Bill needs to go much further
Amendments to Bills can be opaque, impenetrable things: “delete the word ‘may’ and replace with ‘must’” and such like. Even with the increasingly standard practice of including a sentence of…
There’s no perfect route to net-zero by 2030, but we still need to get there
The government likes to brandish its “legally binding” 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal like a protective sword. See we’re “world-leading”, they cry, even while the independent Committee on Climate Change…
If the Tories cared about the rule of law, they’d overturn the dismantling of legal aid
The international affairs section of the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto talks of championing the rule of law. That’s not something talked about in the domestic sections, however, unsurprisingly perhaps…
Voting against Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is vital to stop the UK becoming Singapore-upon-Thames
It might sound flippant to say the wholehearted backing given by European Research Group (ERG) Conservative MPs to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is reason enough to vote against it. But…
It’s time for the government to stop panicking and start planning
It has felt like a very, very long six months. But that’s how long it is since March, when the House of Lords, its older members absent, its atmosphere distinctly…
Our approach to science research funding needs an overhaul
An awful lot has happened in the past 12 months, but when the House of Lords today sat down on Wednesday to consider a report from August 2019 on the…
It’s time to rethink our cities so they work for people and the planet
For many years now, we’ve been hearing about “Smart Cities”, usually accompanied by vaguely sci-fi looking graphics of driverless car pods and total surveillance from sensors on every surface. But…
Care home privatisation: the destruction of what the NHS built
Last night the House of Lords debated a “regret” motion about “the lack of a long-term plan to ensure the financial sustainability of care homes”. Such motions are part of…
Frontline workers deserve honest answers about their PPE concerns
Like most people in the UK, I’ve been hearing for weeks reports from medical professionals and care workers about their concerns about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), but…
What will happen with the EU Withdrawal Bill in the House of Lords?
Next week the House of Lords will be debating the EU Withdrawal Bill – what will become the law determining crucial events in the UK in 2020 and beyond. Should…