"I could not agree more. I did not want to go down that route, because the counter argument would be, “We are only giving the vote to 16 year-olds”. But who knows? In future, it might be 14 year-olds. My noble friend Lord Fuller is absolutely spot on.
"My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, in the debate on this Bill. I will speak to two amendments. On Amendment 24, I congratulate my noble friends Lord Farmer and Lady Meyer, who know a huge amount in this field and are experts …..." Lord Leigh of Hurley - View Speech
"We are not talking about cognitive development or about taking tests. We are talking about what steps the Government are taking to protect people from peer pressure. So far, the answer is none, which is not very satisfactory.
"My Lords, I take the point from the noble Baroness, Lady Wheatcroft, that private equity does typically put debt into businesses. Sometimes that works and sometimes it does not. In this instance, capital has been put into Poundland. When the last restructuring happened, it was going into financial difficulties in …..." Lord Leigh of Hurley - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank the very many noble Lords who spoke in this debate. I listened to some extremely powerful, passionate and very well-informed comments from all sides of the House, and I am extremely grateful to those noble Lords who took the time and trouble so to do.
"My Lords, in moving the regret amendment in my name, I declare my interests as set out in the register.
Sanctions, precisely targeted and founded on clear evidence, are a legitimate instrument of British foreign policy and have my support. But these regulations do not meet that test. They seem, …..." Lord Leigh of Hurley - View Speech
"At end to insert “but this House, while recognising the importance of effective targeted sanctions, regrets that the Regulations permit designation on suspicion of indirect involvement, benefit or association without clearly defining those terms; notes the absence of safeguards to protect lawful trade with Israel within its pre-1967 lines; and …..." Lord Leigh of Hurley - View Speech
"My Lords, will the Minister take this opportunity to disassociate himself from the remarks of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who said that employers are not “working people”? Thousands of small businesses and employers like myself take great exception to this because it goes to the mindset and attitude …..." Lord Leigh of Hurley - View Speech