Military Conflicts: International Law

Lord Robathan Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hermer (Lab)]

I entirely agree with the noble Lord that international law has never stood still; it evolves to face the challenges of each era. We continue, both as lawyers and in government, working with our opposite numbers, to discuss the prescient issues of the day, including what amounts to an imminent threat. We continue to have those discussions at both a political and an official level, day in, day out.

[Lord Robathan (Con)]

How many NATO counterparts with whom the Minister has discussed this, particularly the Americans, have agreed with his summation of political problems?

[Lord Hermer (Lab)]

I am so sorry—I might have missed the end of the noble Lord’s question, but if it is about the frequency with which we discuss with our NATO allies the important contemporary issues of the day as they present themselves on the battlefield, or potential battlefields, those are ongoing discussions with intensity and purpose. They are not, of course, limited simply to NATO. More generally, our discussions with allies across the globe focus on the issues of the day, working together for the common good.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Robathan Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

I do not agree that a catastrophic mess was made of the system. If the hon. Lady looks at the forms issued by the Electoral Commission to local authorities to get households to input all the names, she will see that it was clearly stated that people under the age of 18 should appear. This was user tested as well. In addition to the write out, electoral registration officers can knock on doors to make sure that people’s names are on the register. We have given EROs everything they need and everything they have asked for to get on the register everyone eligible to vote.

[Mr Andrew Robathan (South Leicestershire) (Con)]

I am sure my hon. Friend would agree that registering involves faith in the political system. I am sure he agrees with me and the Deputy Prime Minister who said on 6 September 2010:

“Fewer, more equally sized and more up-to-date constituencies will help to bolster the legitimacy of parliamentary elections.”—[Official Report, 6 September 2010; Vol. 515, c. 40.]

Does the Minister agree that a failure of the Liberal Democrats, and particularly of the Deputy Prime Minister, to vote for his own Bill in 2013—he voted against bolstering the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections—has led to this diminution of faith in politicians, showing opportunism and political advantage at its worst?

[Mr Gyimah]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. Of course we regret going into another election with some constituencies such as Arfon having 38,000 electors and others such as the Isle of Wight having 110,000. Those are not equally sized boundaries, but, as they say, we are where we are.