Lib Dem lord 'tired' by long hours worked by 'old' £342-a-day peers
Lib Dem Lord Paddick, 65, complains about being ‘so tired’ because of the long hours being worked by £342-a-day peers saying it is ‘unsustainable’ because so many of them are OLD
A Lib Dem peer has lashed out at the long hours being worked by members of the House of Lords, saying it is unfair because so many of them are old.
Former senior police officer Brian Paddick said he was ‘so tired’ after the upper House of Parliament sat from 2.30pm until 10.10pm last night, having debated from 2.30pm to 2am on Monday.
He complained that the chamber was to restart today at 11.30am, an hour earlier than originally planned, saying: ‘I’m 65, many colleagues are older. This is unsustainable.’
He added: ‘My point is, you cannot expect to have proper scrutiny of the government under such circumstances.’
He is the latest peer to hit out at the workload and timetabling of the upper chamber, which sat until 4.16am last Thursday. Members are paid a day rate of £342 to attend.
Lord Paddick retired as a deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2007 at the age of 49. After an unsuccessful run to be mayor of London he became a Lib Dem peer in 2013 and is now its home affairs spokesman.
With the start of business brought forward to an earlier start time on Wednesday to continue scrutiny of the flagship legislation, Labour former minister Lord Foulkes of Cumnock last night argued the Government’s legislative plans were ‘in total disarray’.
He complained that members of the unelected chamber were being ‘treated disgracefully’, with proceedings continuing into the early hours over controversial Government plans to tackle the small boats crisis.
Former senior police officer Brian Paddick said he was ‘so tired’ after the upper House of Parliament sat from 2.30pm until 10.10pm last night, having debated from 2.30pm to 2am on Monday.
In doing so, he had a sideswipe at the appointment of Boris Johnson’s allies to the chamber as part of his resignation honours list.
Among the seven nominees were Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and Charlotte Owen, a former adviser to Mr Johnson.
Lord Foulkes said: ‘The Government’s legislative programme is in total disarray.
‘Having sat until 4am the other week, 2am this morning, they just cannot organise their legislative programme.
‘This really is ridiculous we should be treated in this way.’
He added: ‘I wonder if Boris’s friends who are going to join us have been told what to expect.
‘How is Ben Houchen going to manage to get down from Teesside suddenly on a Wednesday morning?
‘What about Charlotte Owen? It’s going to interfere with her social life.
‘Nadine Dorries doesn’t realise what she is gaining by not being nominated for this place.
‘Members are being treated disgracefully.’
Referring to the recent late sittings on the Bill, chief whip in the Lords Baroness Williams of Trafford said: ‘I am sure he was sleeping soundly in his bed when the committee stages were being heard last night and on Wednesday of last week.’
She pointed out the agreement to sit at the earlier time of 11am on Wednesday, rather than 3pm, had been reached between the party whips.
In a withering rebuke to the Labour peer over his remarks about Ms Owen, Lady Williams added: ‘May I say I find it utterly condescending that he would speak about a young lady and her social life in such condescending terms.’
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