Long-term readers may recall that last August I joined a number of others to blog about House of Lords reform, marking the anniversary of the passing of the 1911 Parliament Act.

Despite some slight moves, we still don’t have a democratic second chamber, so this year I’ll be writing once more about House of Lords reform on August 10. If you fancy joining in, please sign the pledge.

Angela Merkel strikes a “W” pose in honor of the President:


See Taylor Marsh for an explanation (of sorts).

Adam Boulton reveals that GWB and Mr Tony Blair need to heed this advice.

Blair: What does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine, if we get a solution in Israel and Palestine, Iraq goes in the right way…
Bush: Yeah, yeah, he is sweet
Blair: He is honey. And that’s what the whole thing is about. It’s the same with Iraq

(Via.)

Lord Levy, Blair’s chief fundraiser (and, let’s not forget, former manager of Alvin Stardust when he was plain old Michael Levy) has been bailed by the police investgating “cash for honours” claims.

Regardless of Levy’s guilt or otherwise, it’s good to see the police taking the investigation serious. Selling honours is bad enough and an abuse of power – gaining party political benefit from elected office – but the “loans for peerages” scandal is all the more serious because it potential involves party donors being rewarded not with a simple gong but with a seat in the national legislature. It makes a farce of claims that an appointed House of Lords is about providing expertise to complement the House of Commons: it’s something for the government of the day to use to lever money out of businessmen tempted by ermine and a title (and who could probably care less about legislating).

I hope the police are investigating the Tories as seriously – they nominate plenty of wealthy backers for the upper chamber. And lest this seem too partisan, I’ll stress that if any LibDems are caught at this (and I think it’s fair to say we’re the least likely culprits of the three main parties), they too should be banged up.