"Is it possible for the Minister to explain to me this kind of scattergun effect? She says that it covers all departments—education and everything else—but why is there not a central office in government for the eradication of poverty? Only by bringing everyone’s energies together will we bring about change...." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Anyway, to address the problem which I have not heard anybody mention: why is it that if you live in social housing—if you are the child of social housing—you have about a 2% chance, as a child, of finishing whatever levels you do to leave school and then getting into …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"It is either the market or the state; that seems to be the argument.
In 2017, I went to a city that was having problems with a whole bevy of people. What we did was to try to reorientate the way that local charities worked together. One of the things …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Is it possible for us to agree that one of the reasons we are in this dispute is that refuse workers are so badly paid? I am a former refuse worker —I was a road sweeper for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea—and I can honestly say that this …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"I say “well done” to the noble Lord, Lord Walker. I was confused when I was asked to follow the noble Lord and, in the tradition of the House, to praise him. I thought to myself, “I don’t know anything about Walkers crisps”. That was the only Walker I knew. …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Is it not wonderful that social security can be used as a hand up? That is the point I am trying to make. I am not trying to make the point of work versus social security. I am saying that a hand up is absolutely marvellous. The greatest hand up …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Does the Minister agree that care is often the only time when a lot of people who come from disturbed family lives can get their hands on some social mobility? I would like the Minister to up the idea that care is a great contributor to social justice...." Lord Bird - View Speech
"I just wanted to bring a bit of thinking here. Why is your Government now looking like every other Government, in that when you get the opportunity to be brave and act quickly, you are incredibly tardy. That lot was doing it before you, and presumably some lot will be …..." Lord Bird - View Speech