Peers face a hard day's night
Few things get the unelected House of Lords more wound up than elections. Peers have just embarked on what may well be a marathon debate on the UK Government's plans to re-draw constituency boundaries and hold a referendum on the parliamentary voting system.
Welsh Labour peers are particularly exercised about the proposed cut in the number of MPs from Wales - probably from 40 to 30 - and are doing everything they can to thrawt it.
As I write, Lord Anderson of Swansea is 15 minutes in to what is likely to be a lengthy speech that has so far taken in his own upbringing, his diplomatic career, his brief spell as MP for Monmouth and his decades as MP for Swansea East.
As a Commons veteran, he knows a thing or two about filibustering and appears quite capable of forcing an all-night sitting of the Lords on his own as he trawls through what he self-depracatingly calls his "anecdotage".
Former Labour Minister Lord Touhig is spearheading a number of amendments designed to reduce the impact on Wales of the One would ensure Wales has no fewer than 35 MPs, another would delay any cuts until the Welsh assembly has full law-making powers.
Conservative former Welsh Secretary Lord Crickhowell has tabled an amendment that would allow Welsh constituencies to vary from the average of 78,000 voters by twice as much (10 per cent) as is currently planned for the rest of mainland Britain.
Lord Anderson has just sat down after 25 minutes, to be succeeded by Lord Elystan-Morgan, who denied coming within "a thousand miles" of a filibuster - and gave a detailed account of a late 19th century parliamentary exchange to prove it.
Peers are faced with the prospect of a week of all night sittings. If tonight's debate continues beyond 2.15pm tomorrow then Tuesday's parliamentary business will have to be put off until another day.
Under parliamentary rules, Monday, January 17 will end only when the House of Lords adjourns. Today could last until the middle of the week. It could be a long night.
Hello. I'm David Cornock and I'm parliamentary correspondent for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales. This is the blog for the latest news and gossip from the Westminster village - with a Welsh accent.
Comments
or to comment.