Democracy and Unelected Strong Leaders
Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Blunkett
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
It would be an interesting experience for many in your Lordships’ House if the noble Baroness had the opportunity to be a despot. I could not agree more: it can occasionally feel like the concept of personality and humanity in our politics is missing, and definitely for those in communities—
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
One second.
We need to be very clear about who we are, and why we are here.
Lord Blunkett (Lab)
I am not doing too well this morning; I will try again. Can I strongly welcome my noble friend’s replies, not least to the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries? Will she permit me to draw her remarks to the attention of the chair of the curriculum and assessment review, given that the interim report did not mention citizenship at all?
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
As I have said before, it is always a mistake to disagree with the noble Lord, so I agree absolutely.
Public Sector: Working From Home
Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Blunkett
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
My Lords, I am not brave enough to answer the final point. As for my performance in the Division Lobby, I think most noble Lords have now experienced that. I can either apologise or be grateful for it. In terms of online working and how we use technology, personally, I benefit from sitting in the same room during meetings; I definitely absorb more. But noble Lords will be aware that I also do a great deal of work with the Northern Ireland Office and all our meetings have to be hybrid because of where people are. That is the case for most of us who are operating in government. Our officials are spread, so to make sure that we hear voices from our nations and regions, it is important that we operate a variety of different technologies.
Lord Blunkett (Lab)
My Lords, returning to the earlier question about skills and training, will my noble friend talk to her noble friend on the Front Bench and to Pat McFadden and Georgia Gould in the Commons about re-establishing a new form of civil service college, which could be done with a confederation of universities at a fraction of the price that was going to be charged by EY until this Government stopped it back in July?