Arrangement of Business

Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts

Friday 30th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

My Lords, I have a very brief question about the Chief Whip’s exhortation to us this morning that, as usual, we should remain brief. In the noble and learned Lord’s interview on the “Today” programme yesterday, he repeatedly said that a few Members of this House were filibustering and delaying the passage of the Bill. Do noble Lords accept that, while many people across this House would wish to intervene on every amendment, we hold back to allow those who are more expert than we are to articulate our concerns in order not to delay the passage of the Bill? It is our self-restraint that has made us arrive at where we are today.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

Can I just add this? I have sat through every day in Committee. Last Friday, I did not say a single word.

[Lord Blencathra (Con)]

My Lords, following the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, we seem to be in the extraordinary position where the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, has now brought forward a series of large new clauses and amendments. On the one hand, he has admitted that the Bill is fundamentally flawed, yet, on the other hand, he is threatening to drive it through via the Parliament Act. Doing so would mean driving through a Bill that he now admits is fundamentally flawed and needs amendments. Am I seeing something illogical there?