Theresa May watches Lords debate Article 50
Image: House of Lords
In a strange move, the prime minister visited the House of Lords today, to listen to the first speeches of the Article 50 debate.
Theresa May quickly attracted the attention of peers and journalists as she sat on the steps of the throne, with a small group of other MPs. While she is entitled to do so, it’s extremely unusual for the prime minister to attend the upper house for a debate on government legislation.
Indeed, former speaker of the House of Lords, Janet Royall said she has ‘never known the PM to be present’ and the House of Lords Twitter account confirmed that it was a first.
Theresa May on the steps of the throne to listen to the beginning of the Article 50 debate. Amazing. Never known the PM to be present
— Janet Royall (@LabourRoyall) February 20, 2017
A 1st for the #HouseofLords: Prime Minister Theresa May watches start of #BrexitBill debate https://t.co/SWOR9P0X3U @Number10gov pic.twitter.com/TctXBBLhfn
— House of Lords (@UKHouseofLords) February 20, 2017
According to the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope ‘the MPs will be hoping that they can be a visible reminder to the unelected peers of the will of the people after the country voted to leave the EU.’ To us, that sounds like a pretty pathetic attempt at intimidation.
Doesn’t the Prime Minister have a country to run?
9 Responses to “What’s Theresa May doing in the House of Lords?”
Jimmy Glesga
So the unelected idle Lords benefit seekers do not want an elected politician entering their private Club!
Michael WALKER
The PM is a Privy Counsellor.
“Privy Counsellors have the right to sit on the steps of the Sovereign’s Throne in the Chamber of the House of Lords during debates”
I would expect professional Political commentators to know these simple facts.
http://tinyurl.com/j2pu2sd
Chester Draws
While she is entitled to do so
LFF is resorting to complaining about the PM running the country in a legal way now?
she has ‘never known the PM to be present’
Some MPs memory is now evidence? Just over 100 years ago the PM was a Lord.
nhsgp
Vote against Brexit, and a spending bill will be introduced cutting the funding of the HoL to zero.
nhsgp
The irony of the Left demanding to be saved by unelected peers is a joke.