Lord Speaker's Corner
21 February 2023
Hear from five members of the House of Lords in this new series as the Lord Speaker finds out what influences their work in and beyond the Lords.
Each episode sees Lord McFall of Alcluith discover what drives members and what they hope to achieve in their time in the House.
This new series will be released throughout January February and March, with short episodes available to watch on YouTube or a longer interview available to download on the House of Lords Podcast.
Lord Speaker’s Corner episodes
Lord Dubs
‘I think it's possible in the House of Lords to achieve things. And there's no point in being here unless one sets out to do that.’
Speaking shortly after Lord Dubs’ 90th birthday, the Lord Speaker discusses Lord Dubs’ experience in the Kindertransport as a child refugee and what continues to drive his work. They also discuss their shared experiences in Northern Ireland, and convincing the government to change legislation.
Lord Alderdice
‘One of the problems I had growing up as a young person in Northern Ireland when things were breaking down into violence again was... I was very troubled by the violence. I thought we must find some kind of way of living together. But the other thing was, I wanted to understand why.’
Psychiatrist, former speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and leader of the Alliance Party, Lord Alderdice discusses his involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process and his current work on international conflict and peace building.
Lord Norton of Louth
‘In the House of Commons there's a culture of assertion. Government knows it'll normally get its way. In the House of Lords, it's a culture of justification. So government's got to persuade the rest of the House that what it wants to achieve it is desirable. So ministers have to engage. They can't simply rely on their own side to get a measure through.’
Constitutional expert and Professor of Government at the University of Hull, Lord Norton of Louth, talks to the Lord Speaker about the importance of good lawmaking, why everyone should care about secondary legislation and the complementary roles of the House of Lords and House of Commons.
Coming soon: Baroness Morgan of Cotes
Former minister, Chair of the House of Lords Committee on Digital Fraud and Chair of the Commission on Covid Commemoration, Baroness Morgan of Cotes talks to the Lord Speaker about her work in the Lords and beyond.
Coming soon: Baroness Kidron
Filmmaker and campaigner Baroness Kidron explains her work leading the way on creating ground-breaking protections for young people and the upcoming Online Safety Bill.
Who's in the House of Lords
Members of the House of Lords come from different backgrounds and professions from across the UK, many are active in their careers and the communities they champion. The House draws on this experience and their professional expertise to carry out its work.
Life peers
Most members of the Lords are life peers: they are members for their lifetime (their title is not passed on to their children). These members are appointed under the Life Peerages Act 1958, which paved the way for women to be members of the Lords.
- Read our People and Membership briefing
- Search the A-Z index of members
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