"My Lords, I will refer to the first part of the Prime Minister’s Statement. It will be understood how distressing it has been for those of us for whom it was the greatest privilege of our lives to work in 10 Downing Street in support of the Heads of our …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, I put my name to the amendment that has just been introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, because this is an important subject. The disinterested recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life need to be taken seriously, and this is probably the last opportunity to …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, I do not fully recognise the picture portrayed by the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, in relation to myself, but I am deeply saddened by the portrait of 10 Downing Street in Sue Gray’s report. I welcome the proposal to create a Permanent Secretary post to lead No. 10. …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, did not the process of clearing this report start on 28 March, seven months ago? Only the final stage of its being cleared by the Prime Minister started in October. Also, is not the point of the report that it is relevant to an upcoming general election? The …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, if the Bill is passed and the election takes place on that date, what is the earliest date on which Parliament can be reopened?..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"I am grateful to the noble Earl for that, but surely the Queen cannot reopen Parliament before Christmas, on 23 December. That would be an absurd time to have a reopening of Parliament. Surely the answer is that the Queen cannot reopen Parliament until 6 January. We would then have …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, it is the right of civil servants, if dismissal is contemplated, to have access to a disciplinary board before a conclusion is reached. Is that available to special advisers, and was it available in this case?..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, is it not the case that the procedural issues which the noble Baroness is now speaking about have already been decided twice by the House in earlier votes?..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, there is one point I would like to clarify. The noble Baroness and the Prime Minister referred to taking a decision on the agreement this week. My understanding was that we had until 12 April to take that decision. Is the reference to “this week” part of the …..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech
"My Lords, the Minister said that any responsible Government would prepare for no deal. Is not the trouble that they have not?..." Lord Butler of Brockwell - View Speech