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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 3, 2020 14:13:22 GMT
The House of Lords Conduct Committee has recommended that Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Ken Maginnis) be suspended for at least 18 months following the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, who investigates complaints against members, which found that Lord Maginnis breached the Code of Conduct by bullying and committing harassment associated with the protected characteristic of sexual orientation on multiple occasions. This followed complaints from four separate persons.
Lord Maginnis joined the Lords in 2001 and has sat as an Independent Ulster Unionist since 2012 when he fell out with the UUP party leader Mike Nesbitt over comments he made on TV equating homosexuality with bestiality. He had a lively political career standing unsuccessfully in the Bobby Sands and Owen Carron by-elections then winning the seat (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) in 1983. He resigned his seat in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement but won the ensuing by-election. He also stood for the local council several times - like a lot of Ulster politicians he liked nothing more than fighting elections!
The motion to suspend him will be put to the House on Monday. He is 83 in January and I doubt if we will see him again. On the other hand he has a skin as thick as a rhino. The Lords without him will be a slightly more civilised place but a less entertaining one.
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mboy
Liberal
Listen. Think. Speak.
Posts: 22,364
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Post by mboy on Dec 3, 2020 14:25:43 GMT
I didn't realise the full extent of his arseholery until I read the article on this. He seems a genuinely nasty piece of work.
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Post by Merseymike on Dec 3, 2020 14:31:29 GMT
The House of Lords Conduct Committee has recommended that Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Ken Maginnis) be suspended for at least 18 months following the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, who investigates complaints against members, which found that Lord Maginnis breached the Code of Conduct by bullying and committing harassment associated with the protected characteristic of sexual orientation on multiple occasions. This followed complaints from four separate persons. Lord Maginnis joined the Lords in 2001 and has sat as an Independent Ulster Unionist since 2012 when he fell out with the UUP party leader Mike Nesbitt over comments he made on TV equating homosexuality with bestiality. He had a lively political career standing unsuccessfully in the Bobby Sands and Owen Carron by-elections then winning the seat (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) in 1983. He resigned his seat in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement but won the ensuing by-election. He also stood for the local council several times - like a lot of Ulster politicians he liked nothing more than fighting elections! The motion to suspend him will be put to the House on Monday. He is 83 in January and I doubt if we will see him again. On the other hand he has a skin as thick as a rhino. The Lords without him will be a slightly more civilised place but a less entertaining one. Trimble never liked him, and I often wonder whether thats why he decided to be a Conservative rather than a Unionist in the Lords Of course, Trimble's daughter is a lesbian. Maginnis is something of a dinosaur on social issues although on other matters he was regarded as a more centrist Unionist
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,166
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Post by Chris from Brum on Dec 3, 2020 16:37:35 GMT
He held F&ST for 18 years, which was quite something given the marginality of the seat. There was a time when he was never off the telly as "security spokesman" for the UUP. I guess it's progress that parties there don't seem to need to field anyone in such a role anymore.
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Post by johnloony on Dec 3, 2020 16:54:15 GMT
I've just been reading the judgment and it's obvious that he won't accept or take seriously the training required. I wouldn't be surprised if he (a) ignores the whole process (b) resigns from the House of Lords in ortder to avoid the process (c) dies of ill-health in the interim (d) explodes (e) all of the above. publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldselect/ldcond/185/18502.htm
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Dec 3, 2020 17:32:06 GMT
He held F&ST for 18 years, which was quite something given the marginality of the seat. There was a time when he was never off the telly as "security spokesman" for the UUP. I guess it's progress that parties there don't seem to need to field anyone in such a role anymore. Not sure that's a personal achievement. Maginnis held FST because he never had a Unionist challenger, but the Nationalist vote was deeply split. The UUP had won it before he arrived, and won it after he left when the conditions were right.
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 6, 2020 0:09:02 GMT
I don't remember when the UUP lot (previously I think UUUP which was a daft title) started to sit in the Lords as UUP - they used to sit as Crossbenchers. Only two of them left now, Lords Rogan and Empey.
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timmullen1
Labour
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Post by timmullen1 on Dec 6, 2020 0:15:57 GMT
I don't remember when the UUP lot (previously I think UUUP which was a daft title) started to sit in the Lords as UUP - they used to sit as Crossbenchers. Only two of them left now, Lords Rogan and Empey. IIRC Empey was the first somewhat to the consternation of the Conservatives who had seemingly presumed he would follow Trimble into their ranks.
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Post by greatkingrat on Dec 6, 2020 1:08:01 GMT
I don't remember when the UUP lot (previously I think UUUP which was a daft title) started to sit in the Lords as UUP - they used to sit as Crossbenchers. Only two of them left now, Lords Rogan and Empey. The UUUP (United Ulster Unionist Party) was a distinct party, not another name for the UUP. You are probably thinking of the DUP which was often referred to as the UDUP.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Dec 6, 2020 10:30:28 GMT
In 1974 the anti-Sunningdale candidates from the Ulster Unionists, Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party and a few others formed the 'United Ulster Unionist Coalition'.
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,531
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Post by The Bishop on Dec 6, 2020 10:46:27 GMT
I don't remember when the UUP lot (previously I think UUUP which was a daft title) started to sit in the Lords as UUP - they used to sit as Crossbenchers. Only two of them left now, Lords Rogan and Empey. The UUUP (United Ulster Unionist Party) was a distinct party, not another name for the UUP. You are probably thinking of the DUP which was often referred to as the UDUP. And given that it was a split from a split (Vanguard) from the UUP, it was one of the more misleading party names
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Post by johnloony on Dec 6, 2020 16:39:14 GMT
The UUUP (United Ulster Unionist Party) was a distinct party, not another name for the UUP. You are probably thinking of the DUP which was often referred to as the UDUP. And given that it was a split from a split (Vanguard) from the UUP, it was one of the more misleading party names One of the first election results books I had was the F.W.S. Craig book of parliamentary election results from 1974-77. My parents found it in a jumble sale and gave it to me for Christmas when I was about 14 - just as I was beginning to be properly aware of what parliamentary elections and constituencies were. I was fascinated by the plethora of different names of the Unionist parties, and I remember reading a lot about the history of Northern Ireland in the 1970s in various library books. If they had been more pedantic in their terminology, they would have advocated that the whole of Ulster (all 9 counties) should be incorporated into the United Kingdom, or would have called themselves the "Northern Ireland (Whatever) Party" instead of the "Ulster (Whatever) Party" (and/or whatever combinations of both).
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 6, 2020 20:49:59 GMT
In 1974 the anti-Sunningdale candidates from the Ulster Unionists, Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party and a few others formed the 'United Ulster Unionist Coalition'. Thank you for all that!
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 7, 2020 17:29:41 GMT
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass has been suspended from the House of Lords. The vote was 408 to 24.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Dec 7, 2020 17:37:29 GMT
Those 24 are really a role of shame. I can only hope the two Labour names on it (Lord Jordan and Lord Leitch) pressed the wrong button by mistake.
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 7, 2020 17:40:41 GMT
I have no idea. The decision was correct but the disciplinary process is in my view defective (as is that of so many bodies nowadays - in my view - including certain political parties). So I deliberately abstained.
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Post by johnloony on Dec 9, 2020 10:56:55 GMT
I have no idea. The decision was correct but the disciplinary process is in my view defective (as is that of so many bodies nowadays - in my view - including certain political parties). So I deliberately abstained. How would you mend the process?
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 10, 2020 16:15:13 GMT
I have no idea. The decision was correct but the disciplinary process is in my view defective (as is that of so many bodies nowadays - in my view - including certain political parties). So I deliberately abstained. How would you mend the process? I suppose I asked for that question! In general terms I have a dislike of all the standards style processes that now exist that involve detailed investigations, inquisitions and tribunal type decision-making. The principles of natural justice and due process seem to be either lacking, deficient or encumbered by bureaucratic disciplinary processes. In the case of the Lords I particularly dislike the inability of the House to debate a report that comes forward. This was brought in following the case of Lord Lester of Herne Hill where the matter was debated at length and referred back before coming again and being passed. It was thought that those proceedings did no good to the reputation of the House of Lords. My view is that they are putting the reputation of the House before proper procedure and natural justice.
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Post by tonygreaves on Dec 16, 2020 18:35:10 GMT
Bness Wilcox attended her last session today. Conservative Lord Cavendish of Furness, a doyen of the English aristocracy, has given notice he will retire on 1st January 2021.
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,166
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Post by Chris from Brum on Dec 16, 2020 19:18:19 GMT
Bness Wilcox attended her last session today. Conservative Lord Cavendish of Furness, a doyen of the English aristocracy, has given notice he will retire on 1st January 2021. Does that mean a hereditary by-election, and if so is it by party or a wider electorate?
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