It’s tough in Parliament at the moment, it’s been raining so much that our Peers are getting wet feet. The situation is so dire that Lord Brabazon of Tara, the head of the House of Lords administration, has had to reluctantly turn down the suggestion to supply the Peers of the Realm with waders.
Lord Touhig requested the wet weather gear explaining that “during last week’s heavy rain, much of the new footpath across Abingdon Green was under water, as was the area in front of Old Palace Yard… if we have any more warnings of severe rain, could those of us who do not have offices in the palace be issued with waders?”
Lord Brabazon rejected the suggestion explaining that a few years back there was a project of issuing umbrellas. “That was not a success as most of them disappeared rather quickly, largely on account of the fact that they had the House of Lords logo on them. I believe that they could be found on eBay relatively inexpensively“.
It’s noted in Hansard that after ten years service, this was the last time Lord Brabazon would answer Questions and he was congratulated. He’ll probably now be remembered more for rejecting umbrellas and waders than for the previous 10 years of his service to the country.
As a final note Lord Hunt of Kings Heath asked “My Lords, if Mr Clegg has his way with the House of Lords, does the noble Lord think that the value of those umbrellas on eBay will go up or down?” and Lord Brabazon’s conclusion was “I am not certain that I should try to answer that question, mainly because I do not know the answer, but I would have thought that they would go up in value as historic items“.
Thanks to Jane at eAuctionAnorak for the lead on this story
Dan Wilson adds: I hope you like my pic of the parliament clock. I took that snap in 2007. Can you spot what is interesting about it?
9 Responses
My answer to the question about the clock. Surely the two clock faces are showing differant times?
I am certain that most of those reading Tamebay and indeed the bulk of the population of the Country will agree that we are facing many and some very severe problems. Problems that should be requiring the full attention of Parliament.
Yet according to Mr Clegg and the Liberal-Democrats one of the most important problems is the future of the House of Lords. I suspect that for most of us, certainly for me, the future of the House of Lords does not even appear in our list of what is vitally important to us.
What do other Tamebayers feel?
Is it perhaps that as usual the Lib-Dems are totally out of touch with the population of the Country?
Rightly or wrongly the unelected house of lords have a tendency to block the more controversial pieces of legislation contained within the manifesto of those who are elected and given a mandate by the people to govern.
Trouble is can anybody trust any elected politician these days anyway, and especially the lib-dems?
I suspect that in due course the members of the house of lords will be flogging more than just unmbrellas on ebay.
Their titles perhaps?
Or maybe even a seat in the chamber?
How much would these be bid up to by some wealthy American?
And given that the Americans purchased London Bridge what chance that part of the Palace of Westminster will be snapped up and transported stone by stone to the USA to be rebuilt over there in one of the Disney theme parks?
After all this country needs every penny it can get for its assets and ebay is as good a place as any for the sale to begin!
And whilst we are on this subject:-
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9239438/MPs-to-get-free-iPads-at-taxpayers-expense.html
So what chance an ipad embellished with the crest of the house of commons appearing on ebay in the next few years?