Foreign Interference in UK Politics
Debate between Lord Hayward and Lord Lemos(1 month ago)
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Lord Hayward (Con)
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Lemos, referred to me. In opening, I echo what the noble Lord, Lord Pack, said. I am pleased to see the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, in his seat, since I notified him that I intended to quote him. On 15 July 2022, he said:
“I hope that, when we get a new Prime Minister”—
how perceptive—
“they will look at the whole issue of our electoral law, which desperately needs some revamping”.—[Official Report, 15/7/22; col. 1709.]
I now move on to the question of implementing changes in this particular field. The noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, has already made comments about this. I know that the Minister is an old Alleynian—a product of Dulwich College. There is another product of Dulwich College who may have a certain influence on the changes that are necessary in this field. It is because of the events that we are witnessing and the investigations that are being undertaken by the Ethics and Integrity Commission that I ask the Government: please, can we not force through amendments to the Bill now, when we may be in the position in the imminent future of having yet more changes necessary to the legislation?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I am indeed a product of Dulwich College, which only goes to show that it is not the school’s fault. I am sorry to say that I am older than Nigel Farage, and I am tempted to make jokes about bins and recycling—but I will not, because the Chief Whip will tell me off. On the substantive point, we understand that there is a lot going on. These are not matters for me; they are matters for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Electoral Commission. We hear what the noble Lord says about the need not to keep double-dipping on this, so we will watch the situation carefully, but I should not comment on individual cases, as I know he understands.
Zimbabwe: Constitution
Debate between Lord Hayward and Lord Lemos
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I thank my noble friend. We recognise the economic reforms undertaken by the Government of Zimbabwe and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, including—this is an important point that I have not made before—the signing of the IMF staff-monitored programme, as an important step towards greater macroeconomic stability, which, frankly, is greater than it was under Mugabe. However, for these reforms to be sustainable, tackling corruption must remain a central part of the reform agenda. We are very clear about that.
Lord Hayward (Con)
My Lords, as a former resident of Zimbabwe, I ask what is being done in terms of working with other countries on representations to the Zimbabwean Government. Surely it is better that we work not alone but with many other countries right around the world.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
Indeed it is. I often find myself agreeing with the noble Lord on this and other matters. The most important thing that will help to transform the lives of the people of Zimbabwe is progress on debt distress, and that is what we are working on through the arrears clearance dialogue in which we are taking a very active part. Despite what lots of noble Lords have said, we welcome the progress on economic reform.
Security of Candidates, MPs and Elections
Debate between Lord Hayward and Lord Lemos(5 months, 4 weeks ago)
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Lord Lemos (Lab)
My Lords, the murders of our colleagues Jo Cox and David Amess weigh very heavily on the minds of all in this House and in the other place, and even more heavily, if I may say so, in the minds and hearts of their families. I thank my noble friend and her colleagues for their tireless and admirable work at the Jo Cox Foundation. The representation of the people Bill is introduced today—so this is breaking news, as it were—and it includes measures which directly tackle the unacceptable issues of harassment and intimidation, ensuring that people are not put off from campaigning or standing for public office. I am sure that our noble friend Lady Taylor will want to talk extensively with my noble friend about it.
Lord Hayward (Con)
My Lords, may I raise a specific point in relation to Tower Hamlets, where the Metropolitan Police has provided cover at every polling station, at every election, since 2014? The returning officer in Tower Hamlets cannot get that guarantee that every polling station will be covered by police for the upcoming elections, because intimidation applies in such a broad range, and in this case, the police force has been provided to protect the people going to the polls.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
The secure delivery of local elections in May 2025, with all the support that the noble Lord refers to, was supported by the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which highlighted many strengths of our democracy. However, I understand and take the point that the noble Lord is making about the situation in Tower Hamlets. The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit is now taking forward security planning for the elections in May 2026, and I am sure that it will bear in mind some of the comments that he and I have made.
UK-Norway Defence Agreement: Impact in Scotland
Debate between Lord Hayward and Lord Lemos
Lord Hayward (Con)
My Lords, having worked previously in a plant in the Midlands which supplied parts to frigates, I echo the comments that the Minister made about the importance of this contract to the whole of the United Kingdom. Therefore, is he absolutely clear that the steel that will be used in all different parts of these frigates will actually be made in the United Kingdom?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
The noble Lord raises an important point. As has been noted in this House before, the Department for Business and Trade has slashed electricity costs for steel producers and is in the process of streamlining grid access for major investment projects, while reaffirming this Government’s commitment to supporting Tata Steel through a £500 million grant to modernise its steel plant in Port Talbot. But I emphasise, in reassuring the noble Lord about this, that we absolutely want to see much more use of UK-made steel in public projects, including and perhaps especially in defence.