Lord Speaker candidates

By Duncan Smith
Producer, BBC Parliament

Voting is taking place on Wednesday for the man or woman who will replace Baroness Hayman, the first ever elected Lord speaker.

Two Conservatives, one Labour, two Lib Dems and one crossbench peer are competing for what will be a five year stint presiding over proceedings.

The job's authority is more limited than their counterpart in the Commons - he or she will be able to help peers out on points of procedure. They will also have a say in whether or not to allow short debates, known as private notice questions, on urgent issues.

But as the Lords is a self regulating house, they do not have the key power the Commons speaker has of deciding who is getting to speak next.

The candidates took part in a hustings to put their case and answer questions at a Hansard Society event earlier this month. It was Lord Howe of Aberavon who got to the question perhaps on everyone's mind: Would the Lords Speaker ever become more of a character like the Commons speaker? Here are candidate-by-candidate pitches, including their answers to the Lord Howe question:

Speaker hustings: Lord Colwyn

Conservative hereditary peer who entered the House in 1967 and was one of 92 hereditaries elected to remain in the Lords in 1999. Currently a deputy speaker. He said: "We do not want to be written off as an out of touch, remote house and rather grand with it. We want to be seen as modern, relevant, carrying out the invaluable work of checking and revising legislation and where necessary holding the government to account. I would want to see the Lord Speaker helping in that process and that would certainly be my aim if I was elected."

Asked if he would emulate the Commons speaker: "The Lord Speaker I'm afraid only assists in the chamber so it's unlikely characters will emerge."

Speaker hustings: Baroness D'Souza

Entered the House in 2004 and currently chairs the group of crossbench peers . She said: "The role is more of an outward facing job, making parliament more accessible… the main role is to represent the House while maintaining a constant awareness of the need to protect the security and the reputation of the House." Baroness D'Souza also told the gathered peers, Hansard Society members and media that her experience as convener of crossbench peers would help her in the role of Lords Speaker, as both roles required a good communicator. But she added: "I'm quite glad that I'm stepping down [as convener of crossbench peers] because I have to tell you it's un-utterably exhausting".

Asked if she would emulate the Commons speaker: She would like to see more contact between peers and the speaker, in the style of the Commons, adding: "Why not come for tea? Have tea with me 52 weeks of the year of you feel like it."

Speaker hustings: Baroness Harris

Lib Dem former councillor who became a peer in 1999. Currently a deputy speaker. She said: "The House of Lords is a unique institution, and I feel very privileged to be part of it. It isn't the status I seek when going for this role. In this job power and politics are less relevant. What matters most is to continue to build the confidence of Lords, MPs and the public in the institution which has served us so well and I want to further strengthen our role in a democracy which is fit for the present millennium.

Asked if she would emulate the Commons speaker: "I certainly don't want to emulate the personality of Mr Speaker and I think that is something that perhaps we need to hold close."

Speaker hustings: Lord Desai

Labour peer and economist who entered the House in 1991. Lord Desai sat on a committee which helped shape the role of the elected speaker, of which he said: "If self-regulation is to thrive, continue and grow in the House of Lords the Lords Speaker within the chamber has to have exactly the minimum role that the Lord Chancellor had… whether now the time has come to give the Lords Speaker more powers at question time… my view on that quite openly is a small 'c' conservative view." He added that his international status as an academic would ensure he would be "good at outreach".

Asked if he would emulate the Commons speaker: He answered by saying the Commons "didn't care" what happened in the Lords unless the House defied the government. "That's because we are the weakest second chamber in the world."

Speaker hustings: Lord Goodlad

Conservative MP for 25 years and former chief whip, Lord Goodlad became a peer in 2005: "I believe the role of the Lord Speaker as the diplomatic representative of the House of Lords overseas and receiving foreign visitors here is hugely important and I would attach tremendous priority to it. The outreach programme… I would seek to build on and be part of the outreach team."

Asked if he would emulate the Commons speaker: Lord Goodlad said: "If that was what the House wanted, the answer is yes."

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Redesdale, who first entered the Lords in 1991, was unable to attend the hustings. During his time in the upper chamber he has been the Lib Dem spokesman for overseas development, Northern Ireland, tourism, international development, defence, energy and agriculture. Lord Redesdale stood for the role of Lords Speaker in 2007. He has criticised the current highly paid role of Lords Speaker, and told the BBC: "I believe in a self-regulating House of Lords. If elected I intend to do as little as possible in the chamber for the money."

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