Brexit and Exit Meet the Lords


Brexit and Exit

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..on your hair.

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We hold the peers' robes and therefore we come along here

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and make sure they're all dressed correctly before going into Chamber.

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All done? Thank you.

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There's a lot of history, a lot of pageantry.

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It's great.

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It's just an amazing environment to come into. It's a real privilege.

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Everyone's wanting to look their best.

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In Westminster, Lords prepare for the biggest show of the year.

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If the House of Lords could ever get buzzy, this is the buzzy day.

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Waiting for the Queen to get back onto the carriage again

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and drop off at the palace.

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With unprecedented access, we filmed behind-the-scenes,

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where senior Lords are calling for change...

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The reputation of the Lords has gone down and down and down.

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This is not a daycare centre or a club.

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It is actually a legislative house.

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Running out of buckets!

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We're running out of buckets.

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..and the Brexit vote that could determine their future.

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This is much bigger than anything I've encountered

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during my political lifetime.

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They will open up a firestorm of resentment in the country.

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-As many of that opinion will say content.

-LORDS: Content.

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GREENWICH TIME SIGNAL PIPS

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'It's seven o'clock on Wednesday the 18th of May. The news headlines -

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'the Queen will set out the government's programme this morning

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'in the traditional speech to Parliament.

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'Far-reaching changes are proposed to the running of prisons in

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'England and Wales...'

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For many staff in the House of Lords,

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it's the busiest day of the year.

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Hopefully, there'll be no parking problems,

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cos nobody should be coming in here to park.

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I'm saying that now, we've got a police convoy coming in.

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SIRENS WAIL

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A bit hectic at the moment.

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This is the point where everyone just starts to panic.

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-MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-And phone calls start to come in.

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-More fried eggs, please!

-OK.

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There's a massive queue.

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-More hash browns, please.

-OK.

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Security is through the roof,

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you've probably seen all the roads shut off outside.

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And everybody comes in early,

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because basically if you don't get in, you don't get in.

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The palace shuts down.

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-Good morning.

-Wow.

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-Right.

-Here we are again.

-Hello, hello, hello.

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Upstairs, the Lords library has been commandeered as a changing room.

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-You'll have a lot waiting here soon, won't you?

-Yeah, there'll be a rush.

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You need to put them on correctly, because obviously you want

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them to go through and present themselves in the best way possible.

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They're excited and they want the day to be a great success.

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It's like a sort of prize-giving with knobs on!

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Hello. Good morning to you.

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An officer on the active list,

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you have to wear your number one uniform -

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a ceremonial day coat, which is all this stuff underneath here

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with medals and goodness knows what.

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So, lots of bling. More bling than my wife.

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I think the public like to keep some traditions.

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I think we have to watch them that we don't have too many

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and they're not those which are so out of date that the young say,

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"For goodness' sake," or something, probably...slightly less polite.

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I am going to get out of my trainers, actually.

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Just for the day.

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It's my concession for Her Majesty, you know.

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Millions across the country will watch the Queen

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give her speech from the throne.

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But beneath the glittering exterior, there is trouble.

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All is not well in the House of Lords.

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The reputation has gone down and down and down.

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In fact, it probably has never been lower.

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As Lord Speaker,

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it's Baroness D'Souza's job to defend the reputation of the House.

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The public perception is of, you know,

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a House full of aged males, sitting around

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perhaps sleeping on the benches.

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And the public only gets to know of the work of the House of Lords

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when the House of Lords really thwarts the government,

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or because there's been a scandal.

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My job, in part, is to promote and protect the reputation

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of the House and that has been no easy task.

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Her five years in the job has seen a drug and prostitution scandal

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and a peer prosecuted for expenses fraud.

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But on Queen's Speech Day, the ceremonial Head of the Lords,

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she must play her part.

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-Right...

-Here comes the heavy bit.

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Ooh!

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If we try to present ourselves as a modern and up-to-date House,

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the fact that we are in robes is something that confuses the public.

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Those are the pictures which all the journalists want to take

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and, quite frankly, I think that we would make

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a big step forward if we abolished the robes.

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Very nice to see you.

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-Yes, you too. Thank you.

-Thanks very much.

-Excuse me.

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Scandals may excite the newspapers,

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but a more fundamental problem lies behind the headlines.

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We have just had nearly 50

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new peers introduced to the House in a very short period.

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Things are getting tight for seats in the Chamber.

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So the House now is, it's getting to near bursting point.

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The more Lords a Prime Minister appoints,

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the more control they can have.

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There are now over 800 members.

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The government have been very lethargic about the size of

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the House and reducing it.

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It's far too large and we've said, we've had many debates,

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we've had lots of Parliamentary questions about it,

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and they've simply sat on their hands.

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When the Queen comes to Parliament, it's a scrum.

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If you tried to organise chaos,

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you couldn't do it any better than what will actually happen.

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I was in Prince's Chamber and a peer came up to me with his wife,

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who had a lovely gown on, a lovely tiara and said,

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"Mr Phipps, you'll find my wife a seat, won't you?"

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And just walked away and left Her Ladyship with me.

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We managed to find her a seat, you know.

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So things like that happen, yep.

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But it's fantastic. It's tradition.

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And, er, long may it continue.

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I find the Queen's Speech a complete distraction and

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a complete irrelevance.

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One person won't be getting dressed up for Her Majesty -

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Labour peer Lord Foulkes.

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It's a waste of time, a waste of money.

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Good morning.

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I take people round and they say, "What a wonderful place."

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And I say, "It's not a good place to work in." It's a royal palace.

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It's not a real parliament

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and the worst time of all is when we get to the Queen's Speech.

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Everything takes over for the State Opening.

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We have canopies outside, the lampposts get taken away,

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the crossing that I came across disappears,

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so that the Queen's carriage can arrive

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and everything is under control of the, of Black Rod and his men.

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Got to clean these shoes up.

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The Queen would notice immediately if they were grubby.

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Just a bit of ordinary household polish

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and it works marvellously on these shoes, brings them up.

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Not all men are keen on wearing diamante buckles on their slippers.

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You'd...

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I've spoken to some chaps who, who think it's a bit feminine.

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But it's just a uniform, so you don't notice.

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There we are.

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Wonderful.

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It's not the normal uniform day, no.

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It's one of those days where it's full uniform,

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so medals and decorations, if you've got any.

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And the Black Rod chain of office, which is there.

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A ceremonial sword today, so one up from the ordinary sword.

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And, obviously, you have to carry the Black Rod.

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If I turn up at the House of Commons without the Black Rod,

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I don't go with the sovereign's authority and they'll send me away.

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It's happened before.

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1624, I think it was.

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In a couple of hours, the Queen will be here.

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Right, we need to get on.

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Black Rod and his sidekick, the Yeoman Usher,

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make a last-minute tour of the building.

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The key thing about this walk round this morning,

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of course it's looking to make sure that everything's in order,

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but it's more to thank people for the efforts that they've made.

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Are you responsible for this?

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I'm not responsible for the gantry.

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-I can get in touch with somebody.

-And say they can't have it there.

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-It's in the way of the troops.

-Right.

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It's got to be on the pavement,

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on the corner of the pavement.

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And if so, we need to move the barriers back,

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-but it's got to be, it's got to be on the pavement.

-OK.

-Thanks.

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He's known as "His Darkness"

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-and the Yeoman Usher is known as the "Semi Darkness".

-Does he know that?

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Probably not, but he probably will do now.

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Morning!

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The historic palace may draw all the crowds,

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but for Lord Blencathra, who works here most days

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and suffers from multiple sclerosis, it is an obstacle course.

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This is a marvellous building. I am absolutely devoted to it.

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But it was built in 1854 and we didn't have to worry

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about people in wheelchairs then.

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Scares me we're at the top of these stairs.

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Now then, how about this lift?

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So... There we go. Half in.

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Just making the point there's no way through for us harmless cripples.

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If I eat in the cafeteria here,

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I can't get out onto the terrace that way.

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It says "No entry," but I'll ignore that.

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If you see a good party, you gate-crash it.

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Not that I ever do that.

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That little ramp is just too steep, that's a deathtrap for me.

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There we go. It's easier to open from the other side.

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Oh!

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There we go.

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I have to do that every time.

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And then get the policeman to shut it.

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A traditionalist at heart, Lord Blencathra doesn't want to

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abandon the palace, he wants to change it.

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These days, I suppose, if we were to build a new Parliament,

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it would be as ghastly and plain as the one in Brussels

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and we wouldn't dare show any of our great historical past.

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I may be complaining about it, but there's not much you can do

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unless you do some major work.

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Right, it's done.

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Lord Blencathra is in with a chance of seeing the changes he wants.

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An enquiry is being held

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about how to renovate and modernise the palace.

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It could be the most significant overhaul the building

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has seen in its long history,

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ripping its very guts out.

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Engineer Andy Piper works on its hidden bowels.

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STEADY BEEPING

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I'm just using this device to make sure there's no gases or

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anything leaking out of the ejectors, just as a safety measure.

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It's a reasonably confined space down there.

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It's for the lowest parts of the palace.

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At the bottom of these stairs is where the palace

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is really showing its age.

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These Victorian sewage ejectors could create a very messy problem.

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If these pack up, fundamentally, we've got a big problem

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about trying to keep the palace running.

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These are approaching 130 years old now.

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They were originally installed to deal with a major problem

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of London sewage coming back into the palace.

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These take all the waste from the palace -

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rainwater, foul water, toilets...

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CLUNK

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everything comes down here.

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That was it just discharging, actually.

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When the clunk sounds,

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waste is fired through this pipe and into the sewers

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on the other side of the wall.

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The amount of people that come through the palace,

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it was never envisaged when these were first put in.

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They're really not going to cope much longer.

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The number of members that we have here,

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members use the building differently,

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they're here for a lot longer times,

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a lot longer periods, and all that means a lot more waste.

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The sewage ejectors and many parts of the palace

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are on their last legs.

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To fix all the many problems, the enquiry is considering

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whether Lords and MPs should move out

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for the five or so years the work will take.

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Some of the biggest problems we face

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is that you can't actually access lots of the pipe work,

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because it runs between the gaps between floors, walls

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and ceilings around the entire palace.

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These are areas that are really hard to get into.

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It's really problematic for us to get in there

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and do any major replacement works while the House is sitting.

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Baroness D'Souza wants a radical overhaul of her own.

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She's worried about numbers,

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particularly those peers who turn up to claim their £300

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daily expenses without contributing.

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For the past few months she's been carrying out her own research.

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What I wanted to find out in the research that I did

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a few months ago was who was attending, um,

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and what they were claiming

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and, you know, it is very difficult to quantify.

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There are some who make no contribution whatsoever and

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who nevertheless claim the full amount.

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This is not a day care centre or a club,

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it is actually a house,

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a legislative house

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and I do firmly believe that the people who

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attend ought to be in a position to be able to contribute.

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But she's found herself in a difficult position.

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As ambassador for the House, she's reluctant to speak out.

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I abandoned this research because it would have involved

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a degree of naming and shaming, which I certainly didn't want to do,

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but also that would in turn have provoked some kind of

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a press storm, which clearly I didn't wish to do.

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I mean, the reputation of the House is not that great anyhow.

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On Queen's Speech Day, it's just an hour before she arrives.

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The Queen's bodyguard will turn to the left

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in five.

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Left turn!

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Slow...march!

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The Yeoman of the Guard are about to check the palace cellars

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for gunpowder.

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It's a tradition that dates back to 1605, when Guy Fawkes tried to

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blow up the House of Lords.

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They have made their report to Black Rod that the basements

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and now clear for Her Majesty to attend.

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Um, then it is on with part two of the State Opening of Parliament.

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BAND PLAYS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

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It's just an ordinary day

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unfortunately interrupted by this procession

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and panoply and ceremony,

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which makes it a little bit more difficult,

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but it doesn't stop us getting on with the normal business.

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A proud Scot, Lord Foulkes is upset

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that the Lords doesn't fairly represent the country as a whole.

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I'm tabling a question about the imbalance of membership of the

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House of Lords with nearly half of them coming from London.

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So I've got a question to ask Her Majesty's Government

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what plans they have to make the composition of the House of Lords

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more representative of the nations and regions of the United Kingdom?

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Once we've finished here, I'm going to go upstairs

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and use a bit of the library that isn't being used as

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a changing room today

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and catch up with my e-mail.

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But he will have to bide his time.

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The Queen has now entered the building

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and the whole palace is in lockdown.

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FANFARE FROM STATE TRUMPETERS

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Some people come out of the woodwork wearing these great outfits,

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looking like playing cards, carrying swords.

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I feel sorry for the Queen

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with that crown which must be heavy on her head.

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My Lords, pray be seated.

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That one day a year, where we put on the red robes,

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we are part of that 800-year tradition

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and it gives us that perspective back in history.

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We're here in the Central Lobby.

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Yes.

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Quick march.

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Make way for Black Rod.

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Some people don't like the robe.

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I think that's pathetic and silly.

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Lock the doors!

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The most important bit of the ceremony,

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the bit that would take 10,000 words to write

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is Black Rod hammering on the door of the Commons.

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Black Rod, open the door!

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The symbolism of him tapping on the door

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and them slamming it in his face

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is what our Constitution is all about.

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The supremacy of the Commons,

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not having to obey the sovereign, or the Lords.

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But at the end of the day, out of courtesy,

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coming along to hear what is said.

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Black Rod, open the doors.

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Black Rod!

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The Queen commands this Honourable House...

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..to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers.

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MPs are summoned to the Lords to hear the Government's plans

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for the coming year.

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A standout moment will be the promised Brexit referendum.

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My Lords and members of the House of Commons,

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my government will hold a referendum

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on membership of the European Union.

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Proposals will be brought forward for a British bill of rights.

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My ministers will uphold the sovereignty of Parliament and

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the primacy of the House of Commons.

0:21:010:21:04

We'll wait for the Queen to get back onto the carriage again

0:21:140:21:17

and drop-off at the palace.

0:21:170:21:19

This is the best job, we get tea and biscuits.

0:21:210:21:23

SHE CHUCKLES

0:21:230:21:25

He's quite young.

0:21:280:21:29

He's seven.

0:21:290:21:30

And she's very old, so she's looking after him.

0:21:300:21:33

She's very, very good, she is.

0:21:330:21:35

We just keep him occupied with lots of mints.

0:21:360:21:39

I haven't been anywhere else,

0:21:450:21:47

I've stayed here and watched the whole thing.

0:21:470:21:49

It's very impressive to watch the coaches

0:21:490:21:52

and the horses and the people.

0:21:520:21:54

The Queen's coming out in a moment.

0:21:540:21:56

They think she's coming out now.

0:21:560:21:58

She was in very good spirits, she was chuckling, I would say.

0:22:040:22:08

I'm going to go and have some refreshments.

0:22:080:22:11

And then lunch.

0:22:120:22:13

I'm going to go and take my thing off.

0:22:300:22:33

-Where's that?

-Just come with me.

0:22:330:22:35

-Just step out of that.

-Thank you.

-Super.

0:22:440:22:47

If you can undo that, that'll be great.

0:22:470:22:49

Thank you very much, nice to meet you.

0:22:490:22:52

There we are, thank you very much. Thank you.

0:22:540:22:56

Back to normal. The pantomime is over.

0:22:560:22:58

It's almost the end, isn't it?

0:23:000:23:02

Um, yes.

0:23:020:23:03

You've got a huge pile there.

0:23:030:23:05

There is, yes. We'll work our way through.

0:23:050:23:07

The leader of the House has a little gathering.

0:23:070:23:09

A little gathering, a big gathering, a bit squashed,

0:23:090:23:11

but then there's lunch downstairs, which I hope

0:23:110:23:13

you've been invited to, as well.

0:23:130:23:15

-No.

-That's bad luck.

0:23:150:23:17

The House of Lords catering people,

0:23:200:23:23

they let their imagination run wild.

0:23:230:23:27

A lot of the Lords haven't even been down to the kitchen.

0:23:270:23:31

When I ask someone now, when I asked them,

0:23:310:23:34

"Do you feel like coming down to the kitchen?"

0:23:340:23:37

They say, "Oh, really? Oh, yes."

0:23:370:23:39

They come down and they're amazed.

0:23:390:23:41

It's like the engine room.

0:23:410:23:42

Once the ceremony is over,

0:23:500:23:52

peers get the chance to table questions to the Government.

0:23:520:23:55

Lord Foulkes wants to be first in the queue,

0:23:550:23:58

but the Queen's Speech has got in the way again.

0:23:580:24:02

-I imagine this has been used as a cloakroom.

-It was.

0:24:020:24:06

When do you start the queuing?

0:24:060:24:09

It's not open for another hour.

0:24:090:24:11

About 1.30, is it?

0:24:110:24:13

I want to be early in the queue later today to make sure I get

0:24:150:24:19

my question in early, but I'd better let all these robes get out first.

0:24:190:24:23

There's so many people working, moving everything around.

0:24:260:24:29

This place is totally chaotic, isn't it?

0:24:290:24:31

Spin it. Spin it.

0:24:340:24:36

It's a fantastic team.

0:24:360:24:38

It's amazing how quickly they can turn this around from

0:24:380:24:40

a state occasion, which is what it is,

0:24:400:24:42

to setting the chamber back up ready for a chamber sitting.

0:24:420:24:47

Breathe in, guys.

0:24:470:24:49

Calm down. Slowly.

0:24:490:24:52

Don't hold the top.

0:24:520:24:54

It'll all be done in an hour and a half, a couple of hours.

0:24:540:24:57

We're doing it as quick as possible,

0:24:580:25:00

which is why everyone's sweating when everyone runs about in here.

0:25:000:25:03

There are nine men easily,

0:25:030:25:05

six, eight, seven, nine men needs to lift them.

0:25:050:25:08

They're very, very heavy, solid oak.

0:25:080:25:10

He wouldn't know because he hasn't been lifting.

0:25:100:25:12

-He's standing and looking.

-I have been lifting.

0:25:120:25:15

The Queen has barely left the building and already a queue

0:25:180:25:21

has formed of peers who want to ask a question of the Government.

0:25:210:25:25

We can challenge the executive sometimes in a way that

0:25:310:25:34

maybe the members of Parliament can't.

0:25:340:25:36

Five, six, seven.

0:25:370:25:39

Peers can interrogate ministers on any aspect of policy,

0:25:390:25:43

provided they get a slot.

0:25:430:25:45

There's 36 oral question slots today, which is a huge number.

0:25:460:25:50

Compared to a normal day, there would be three or four.

0:25:500:25:53

There's only 36 chairs out. If you get a chair, you've got a question.

0:25:530:25:57

I've come early, which I thought was early,

0:25:570:26:00

but I realised I've got two rows in front of me,

0:26:000:26:02

so I'm not that early.

0:26:020:26:03

Thank you for your patience in waiting.

0:26:030:26:05

It is 2.30.

0:26:050:26:07

CHEERING

0:26:070:26:09

Lord Spicer, when would you like to ask your question?

0:26:110:26:14

23rd.

0:26:140:26:17

-Lord Spicer.

-Monday.

-OK, lovely.

0:26:170:26:19

-We've had a good time there.

-I'm pleased.

0:26:210:26:24

What's the first available date?

0:26:240:26:25

23rd of May.

0:26:250:26:27

Fourth question on the Monday, the 23rd, next week.

0:26:270:26:29

-Maybe 24th.

-24th.

0:26:300:26:32

-Just in case my plane's late.

-That's fine.

0:26:320:26:35

That's first on the 24th.

0:26:350:26:38

-First on the 24th, thanks very much.

-Thank you.

0:26:380:26:40

I'm the first one on the 24th of May,

0:26:400:26:43

so I'll be able to pursue my campaign on the question of

0:26:430:26:47

the balance of membership of this place, to try and get it a bit

0:26:470:26:51

more representative of the nations and regions of the United Kingdom.

0:26:510:26:54

See you later.

0:26:590:27:01

My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the Lord Speaker.

0:27:040:27:09

The new session is now under way.

0:27:130:27:15

There's only a month to go until the Brexit referendum

0:27:150:27:18

and it will dominate business in the Lords.

0:27:180:27:22

Everyone wants a say, but with room for only around 400 in the

0:27:220:27:26

chamber, it's hard to get a word in.

0:27:260:27:29

We're in a crush, quite frankly,

0:27:290:27:30

and there aren't enough seats for everybody.

0:27:300:27:33

I often find myself standing

0:27:330:27:34

or sitting in the visitors' gallery.

0:27:340:27:37

It is totally overcrowded.

0:27:370:27:39

There are too many lords now.

0:27:390:27:41

I think the accommodation is rather squeaking at the seams

0:27:410:27:44

because there's so many.

0:27:440:27:46

I suggested we get one of the old aircraft carriers,

0:27:460:27:48

which sadly they scrapped in 2010

0:27:480:27:50

in a rather mistaken way,

0:27:500:27:52

dragged it up the River Thames, berthed it before we could put all the extra peers

0:27:520:27:56

in the empty aircraft carrier.

0:27:560:27:57

That didn't actually meet with too many wishes from people and

0:27:570:28:00

you'd have great difficulty getting under the bridges,

0:28:000:28:02

but I did it slightly tongue-in-cheek.

0:28:020:28:04

The Speaker's job is normally to defend the reputation of the

0:28:070:28:10

House, but after five years in office,

0:28:100:28:13

Baroness D'Souza is soon to step down and won't be so restrained.

0:28:130:28:17

The House is now so big, over 800 members.

0:28:170:28:21

If there is a subject of extreme importance and interest,

0:28:210:28:25

you can't fit everyone in and, unless you've got a seat in the House of Lords,

0:28:250:28:30

you can't speak.

0:28:300:28:32

If you can't speak, you can't hold the Government to account.

0:28:320:28:35

It's early June and she's come to Brighton to address an

0:28:390:28:42

audience with a tough reputation.

0:28:420:28:44

Is the annual conference of the Women's Institute.

0:28:470:28:50

Would you welcome Baroness D'Souza of Wychwood in the County of Oxfordshire.

0:28:520:28:56

APPLAUSE

0:28:560:28:58

The size of the House,

0:29:020:29:05

I'm almost too embarrassed to tell you that

0:29:050:29:08

we currently have well over 800 members.

0:29:080:29:10

The only larger chamber in the world is the Chinese National Congress.

0:29:120:29:17

LAUGHTER

0:29:170:29:19

Which is not really a parliamentary body at all.

0:29:190:29:22

A careful analysis of attendance,

0:29:220:29:26

voting and contributions to debates,

0:29:260:29:28

oral questions and committees

0:29:280:29:31

indicates that the Lords could very comfortably carry out its

0:29:310:29:36

work with no loss of expertise with between 450 to 500 members.

0:29:360:29:41

APPLAUSE

0:29:430:29:47

Reform of the House of Lords is far from most people's minds.

0:29:470:29:51

Britain is about to go to the polls for the biggest vote

0:29:510:29:54

in a generation.

0:29:540:29:56

Almost everything is on hold because of this decision.

0:29:560:29:59

The questions about the future of the House of Lords also pale

0:29:590:30:01

into insignificance.

0:30:010:30:03

A very good adviser said to me, "If Brexit happens, forget it.

0:30:030:30:07

"There won't be any way in which you can bring in reform of the Lords,

0:30:070:30:11

"because it's just not relevant."

0:30:110:30:14

BBC RADIO PIPS

0:30:210:30:22

'The UK has voted to take the momentous step

0:30:250:30:28

'to leave the European Union

0:30:280:30:30

'in a move that's shocked the rest of Europe.

0:30:300:30:33

'Leave campaigners say it's a stunning rebuff

0:30:330:30:35

'to the political elite that run the EU.'

0:30:350:30:38

It's a victory for ordinary people, decent people.

0:30:380:30:42

There is still a massive disconnect between Westminster,

0:30:420:30:47

SW1 and real communities.

0:30:470:30:49

We really are

0:30:510:30:53

in a most impossible situation.

0:30:530:30:55

No-one knows where we're going.

0:30:550:30:57

The Government hadn't expected it, so they've got no idea.

0:30:570:31:01

The Leave campaigners didn't think they were going to win,

0:31:010:31:05

so they've got no idea.

0:31:050:31:06

We really are in limbo.

0:31:060:31:08

Normal business has been suspended for an urgent debate.

0:31:110:31:14

Clearly, this is a mega, mega issue.

0:31:160:31:18

We've got 119 people

0:31:200:31:22

in to speak which, in my time here, is a record.

0:31:220:31:25

We started at 11.30 this morning, three hours earlier.

0:31:250:31:29

We'll go on until 11 tonight and we'll do tomorrow afternoon

0:31:290:31:32

and on to ten o'clock tomorrow night to try and get everybody in.

0:31:320:31:36

I hope that the House of Lords will send a warning shot to the

0:31:370:31:41

Government of the dangers of Brexit, to try and get them to think

0:31:410:31:44

again and to say, "We accept the advisory referendum, we accept

0:31:440:31:48

"their advice, but on balance, we think it's the wrong way forward."

0:31:480:31:52

My Lords, this long overdue and momentous decision, in my opinion,

0:31:540:31:59

will be good for the United Kingdom and good for democracy in Europe.

0:31:590:32:02

The losing remainers must stop their bitter recriminations

0:32:020:32:06

and accept the decision of the people.

0:32:060:32:09

The referendum was a blunt instrument

0:32:090:32:11

which showed a dominant mood.

0:32:110:32:14

It is obvious that the Government was unprepared for defeat.

0:32:140:32:17

That's no excuse, my Lords, for legislation based on the first,

0:32:170:32:22

second and third reading of the Daily Mail.

0:32:220:32:25

Most members were against Brexit,

0:32:280:32:31

but for now, the Lords is just a talking shop.

0:32:310:32:34

They will have to wait and see whether they get to vote on the

0:32:340:32:38

biggest of all issues facing Britain.

0:32:380:32:41

First they will have to consider another exit...

0:32:410:32:45

their own.

0:32:450:32:47

Abnormal rainfall last night hit the Palace of Westminster and we

0:32:570:33:00

have been incredibly busy doing a massive operation mopping up.

0:33:000:33:04

-We're running out of buckets.

-We're running out of buckets.

0:33:060:33:09

The need for repairs is becoming increasingly urgent.

0:33:110:33:15

Almost every area in the Parliamentary estate

0:33:170:33:19

has had some type of water damage today.

0:33:190:33:22

You can see where it's coming from.

0:33:240:33:25

Yeah, yeah, it's dripping down across the beam.

0:33:250:33:29

This carpet underneath me is completely sodden.

0:33:310:33:35

But if we can just go up into the roof,

0:33:350:33:36

because I'd like to see how it's backing up to get this bad.

0:33:360:33:39

-OK.

-Are you confident of getting me to the roof above here

0:33:390:33:42

without getting me lost?

0:33:420:33:44

-Not confident but I'll have a good go.

-Well, shall we try?

0:33:440:33:47

It's like being a bit of a detective.

0:33:520:33:54

We need to understand why the water's coming into the building.

0:33:550:33:58

Some of this building has been here for near enough 800 years.

0:34:130:34:17

What I'm actually looking at now is what they call a box gutter,

0:34:170:34:20

this is part of the original fabric of the building.

0:34:200:34:23

This has been cleaned today and the water is actually running,

0:34:230:34:27

so hopefully it will be better now than it was this morning.

0:34:270:34:30

This building is a sprawling palace,

0:34:310:34:34

intertwined with downpipes and soil pipes and plumbing work.

0:34:340:34:39

We don't always know where it all goes.

0:34:390:34:41

Even though you do surveys,

0:34:410:34:42

pipes just disappear into walls and you can't find where they're going.

0:34:420:34:45

But this is all part and parcel of working in a historic palace.

0:34:450:34:49

The report on renovating the palace will soon be published.

0:34:580:35:02

Rumour is it will recommend moving out completely

0:35:020:35:05

while repairs are undertaken.

0:35:050:35:07

Lord Blencathra has already started thinking of where to go.

0:35:080:35:12

People say, and colleagues ask me, "OK,

0:35:130:35:16

"if we were to move out of Parliament, where would we go?"

0:35:160:35:18

It is my submission that

0:35:200:35:21

within a couple of hundred yards of Parliament,

0:35:210:35:24

we've got ample alternative space.

0:35:240:35:26

Look at this beautifully quiet area here,

0:35:300:35:33

250 yards away from the Houses of Parliament.

0:35:330:35:35

Clearly this space can't be desecrated permanently,

0:35:350:35:39

but we've got a huge area here where it would be possible,

0:35:390:35:42

for the four or five years without a Parliament, to build,

0:35:420:35:45

what, three, four-storey Portakabins here with huge open-plan offices

0:35:450:35:50

to hold staff and secretaries, and MPs and Lords if necessary.

0:35:500:35:55

Portakabin city. OK, a posh Portakabin city.

0:35:550:35:59

I know many of my colleagues in the Lords are, like,

0:35:590:36:01

"Oh, Portakabins - horrible, vulgar things, we can't sit in those."

0:36:010:36:05

But there's some very sophisticated

0:36:050:36:07

Portakabin-type office blocks these days.

0:36:070:36:09

Ample alternative facilities for five or six years.

0:36:090:36:13

The cost of renovating the palace will be enormous.

0:36:200:36:24

Initial estimates are over £3 billion.

0:36:240:36:26

Parliament will be under pressure to justify the cost in the press.

0:36:280:36:31

For now, Baroness D'Souza is getting some flak of her own

0:36:350:36:38

for a smaller expense.

0:36:380:36:40

Good afternoon. This is the moment of truth.

0:36:400:36:43

And I think it's a good painting. I think it's a really good painting.

0:36:440:36:48

I'm terribly honoured, I'm flattered.

0:36:480:36:51

A portrait costing £12,000 has been called

0:36:510:36:54

a waste of public money by some newspapers.

0:36:540:36:57

Previous attacks have come over the cost of flowers in her room

0:36:570:37:01

and once leaving a car waiting

0:37:010:37:02

whilst making an official visit to the opera.

0:37:020:37:05

They do what is appropriate.

0:37:070:37:08

They hold people to account, those people who spend taxpayers' money,

0:37:080:37:11

there's absolutely no qualm in that at all.

0:37:110:37:14

In fact, that's their job, I absolutely support that.

0:37:140:37:19

Just one would require them to be accurate.

0:37:190:37:21

The fact that one has, as we have in this office,

0:37:210:37:24

halved expenditure over the five years that I've been here,

0:37:240:37:27

more than halved it, is really not news, is not news at all.

0:37:270:37:31

My son-in-law gave that to me. He said it's one of the last ones

0:37:310:37:34

he found in an old Communist bookshop.

0:37:340:37:36

He gave it to me.

0:37:370:37:39

-RADIO NEWS:

-'The former Conservative peer Lord Hanningfield

0:37:410:37:44

'has been cleared of false accounting.

0:37:440:37:46

'Describing him as Lord Fraud, the paper explained how

0:37:460:37:49

'he claimed the maximum £300 attendance allowance for the Lords

0:37:490:37:52

'on 11 days when he spent less than 40 minutes in Parliament.'

0:37:520:37:56

Baroness D'Souza has another scandal to deal with.

0:37:580:38:02

Lord Hanningfield is a serial offender.

0:38:020:38:04

Jailed for expenses fraud,

0:38:040:38:06

he returned to the Lords on release

0:38:060:38:08

only to be suspended for claiming his daily allowance without working.

0:38:080:38:13

Now the criminal case has been dismissed after the court said

0:38:130:38:16

only the Lords can define what constitutes Parliamentary work.

0:38:160:38:20

Some newspapers are calling it a cover-up.

0:38:210:38:24

-Morning.

-How are you?

-Good, thank you.

0:38:240:38:27

What news, other than Hanningfield?

0:38:270:38:29

Well, I just saw the front pages this morning. Doesn't look good.

0:38:310:38:34

And it gets off scot-free?

0:38:340:38:35

"Lord Fraud Above The Law." That's what it says.

0:38:350:38:37

When you said yesterday that the press office had got

0:38:390:38:44

some press lines ready, are they putting them out?

0:38:440:38:47

Yes, I'm sure they are. I'll check, though.

0:38:470:38:49

I'll let you know what they are as well.

0:38:490:38:50

OK, thanks very much, Rob, that's great.

0:38:500:38:52

It's a very, very sad case of someone who behaved

0:38:530:38:57

very, very stupidly.

0:38:570:38:59

He was someone who was not savvy enough to realise that

0:38:590:39:03

he would become a point of interest for the press.

0:39:030:39:07

And he clearly, having already been convicted and imprisoned for fraud,

0:39:070:39:12

and came back to the House,

0:39:120:39:14

and then started claiming a full whack for not a very full day...

0:39:140:39:20

it brings the House into disrepute.

0:39:200:39:22

The Hanningfield scandal will be the last that Baroness D'Souza

0:39:240:39:26

has to deal with before she leaves office.

0:39:260:39:29

We've had some very, very good times,

0:39:310:39:33

quite a lot of difficult times.

0:39:330:39:35

I don't think that you could do without the House of Lords.

0:39:370:39:41

It does refine legislation.

0:39:410:39:43

It's got a particularly strong reputation

0:39:430:39:45

for upholding individual liberties.

0:39:450:39:49

It holds the government to account.

0:39:490:39:50

I feel quite sad about stepping down.

0:39:500:39:53

It's now the summer recess.

0:40:040:40:06

But controversy hasn't taken a holiday.

0:40:060:40:09

-RADIO NEWS:

-'David Cameron's been accused of

0:40:110:40:13

'looking after his old boys network

0:40:130:40:15

'after the Sunday Times published what it says is his

0:40:150:40:18

'resignation honours list.

0:40:180:40:20

'It includes two major Conservative party donors

0:40:200:40:22

'who were also Remain supporters,

0:40:220:40:25

'four Cabinet ministers and more than 20 staff at Downing Street.'

0:40:250:40:28

On leaving office,

0:40:300:40:31

David Cameron has nominated 13 Conservatives for peerages.

0:40:310:40:36

Of course, prime ministers have every right to appoint people

0:40:360:40:39

when they leave office, when they're in office,

0:40:390:40:41

if they want to put more peers in there, but, you know,

0:40:410:40:43

I really do have to tell you,

0:40:430:40:45

it really has been far too many in recent times.

0:40:450:40:48

Tony Blair, in ten years, appointed 374 new peers.

0:40:480:40:52

Cameron was in office for six years,

0:40:520:40:54

he created 244 new peers at a faster rate than any other Prime Minister.

0:40:540:41:01

I think, quite frankly, it's a disgrace.

0:41:010:41:03

Lord Blencathra has a plan for where the knife should trim.

0:41:060:41:09

There are some people who had tremendous expertise

0:41:110:41:14

or maybe held high positions in government.

0:41:140:41:17

But if they're never here now, then what is the point of staying on?

0:41:170:41:21

I'm thinking about a Deputy Prime Minister

0:41:210:41:23

in the Conservative government under John Major. Let's find him.

0:41:230:41:27

Ah, there he is.

0:41:270:41:30

Michael, Lord Heseltine.

0:41:300:41:32

3% attendance in the whole of the last Parliament.

0:41:320:41:35

3%. You know?

0:41:350:41:38

And maybe he came in and made some devastatingly important speech then,

0:41:380:41:42

I don't recall it.

0:41:420:41:44

Um, but...

0:41:440:41:46

it's, it's... I don't think we can go on with people

0:41:460:41:49

on 3%, 4%, 5%, or 0% attendance, when there is no good reason not to.

0:41:490:41:54

There are only so many sardines that can fit into a tin.

0:42:050:42:09

And only so many peers that can squeeze into a room.

0:42:090:42:12

Where did you disappear to? Oh, you did that?

0:42:130:42:17

SHE CHUCKLES

0:42:170:42:18

Maureen and Carol have the unenviable task

0:42:180:42:21

of looking after Lords' private offices.

0:42:210:42:24

This room has got, like, three rooms in it.

0:42:240:42:27

One, two, three. You've got a baroness in here.

0:42:270:42:30

The easiest room? One of the cubicles.

0:42:330:42:36

There's one desk, one chair.

0:42:360:42:38

Bits and pieces.

0:42:380:42:40

It's like 3' x 3', so I just go in, round, and out again.

0:42:410:42:46

In these cramped rooms, no gap is too small for a desk,

0:42:480:42:53

some papers and a peer of the realm.

0:42:530:42:55

Can't do much on that table. There's so much stuff on there.

0:43:000:43:03

Got so many papers.

0:43:030:43:04

Of course, we're not allowed to touch it.

0:43:040:43:07

We just hold the stuff... and then just flick over.

0:43:070:43:11

Lord Ivan.

0:43:170:43:19

Irvine, sorry. Lord Irvine.

0:43:230:43:25

SHE LAUGHS

0:43:250:43:27

It's November.

0:43:320:43:33

And the courts have ruled that Parliament,

0:43:330:43:35

including the Lords, must vote on Britain leaving the EU.

0:43:350:43:39

-CHANTING:

-What do we want?

-Brexit!

-When do we want it?

-Now!

0:43:390:43:43

This is potentially a massive blow to Theresa May's Brexit plan,

0:43:430:43:48

that Parliament could have to pass legislation to trigger Article 50.

0:43:480:43:54

It wouldn't just have to go through the Commons,

0:43:540:43:56

it would have to go through the House of Lords too,

0:43:560:43:58

where the government does not have a majority,

0:43:580:44:00

and where there are an overwhelming number of peers opposed to Brexit.

0:44:000:44:04

Pro-European Lords now face a historic dilemma.

0:44:050:44:09

Bow to the will of the people,

0:44:090:44:10

or vote with their hearts against Brexit.

0:44:100:44:13

This is the most important decision that has been made by Parliament

0:44:140:44:19

in the 40 years that I've been in the Commons and in the Lords.

0:44:190:44:23

What we've already got MPs saying, and the government in particular is,

0:44:230:44:26

"We've been given instructions by the British people."

0:44:260:44:30

That is a load of nonsense. Absolute rubbish.

0:44:300:44:33

Whispers around Westminster are that the Lords could even be abolished

0:44:340:44:38

if they defy the government.

0:44:380:44:39

It is undermining our whole system for the Prime Minister

0:44:410:44:45

and the government to threaten the House of Lords

0:44:450:44:48

that if we don't do what they expect us to do,

0:44:480:44:50

then our future will be in jeopardy.

0:44:500:44:53

That is disgraceful, absolutely disgraceful.

0:44:530:44:55

The Lords would be very, very foolish to vote it down,

0:44:550:45:00

because they don't understand the mood of the people out there.

0:45:000:45:04

If the elected members of parliament try and muck around with

0:45:040:45:07

the will of the people, then I think they'll be in deep trouble.

0:45:070:45:10

And if the Lords were attempting to do it, then,

0:45:100:45:13

I think that would be, that would lead to trouble on the streets.

0:45:130:45:15

That would lead to complete anarchy and riots.

0:45:150:45:18

Never mind the House of Lords being abolished,

0:45:180:45:20

that will be the least of our worries.

0:45:200:45:21

For now, peers have the chance to debate an issue

0:45:310:45:34

that's united the House.

0:45:340:45:36

Their own bloated size.

0:45:360:45:38

The House wants it, the country wants it, the nation deserves it.

0:45:380:45:43

We deserve reform.

0:45:430:45:44

So all we can do is go on pressurising the government

0:45:440:45:48

to see the error of their ways. Get something done about it.

0:45:480:45:51

After years of talk about reducing numbers,

0:45:530:45:55

peers have finally secured a debate they hope will spark real change.

0:45:550:46:00

The repeated abuse of prime ministers' powers of privilege

0:46:000:46:05

is as plain as a pikestaff.

0:46:050:46:07

The abolition of their unchannelled power is long overdue.

0:46:070:46:12

Be gone, I say.

0:46:120:46:14

And I hope Theresa May takes note.

0:46:140:46:16

MUMBLES OF AGREEMENT

0:46:160:46:18

The question is

0:46:190:46:21

that this House believes that its size should be reduced

0:46:210:46:25

and methods should be explored by which this could be achieved.

0:46:250:46:29

As many are of that opinion will say, "Content."

0:46:300:46:33

Content!

0:46:330:46:34

To the contrary, "Not content."

0:46:340:46:36

The contents have it.

0:46:360:46:39

The House do now adjourn.

0:46:390:46:41

For the first time,

0:46:430:46:45

all sides of the House agree that numbers should be cut.

0:46:450:46:49

The only way to do it is a proper Select Committee

0:46:490:46:51

to see how it can be done,

0:46:510:46:53

and to stop prime ministers, and all prime ministers,

0:46:530:46:55

not just one prime minister, all prime ministers,

0:46:550:46:58

putting people into this House that give them either financial support

0:46:580:47:01

or support in some other way.

0:47:010:47:03

A committee will now look at where the axe should fall.

0:47:030:47:07

But any plan will need not only cross-party support,

0:47:070:47:10

but the Government's support as well.

0:47:100:47:13

Is any government really going to give time to changes of this sort

0:47:140:47:18

when they've got the whole Brexit concerns to face up to?

0:47:180:47:23

If it becomes evident that the Prime Minister and the Government

0:47:230:47:27

have less patronage, less power, less influence here,

0:47:270:47:30

just when they need it most? No way.

0:47:300:47:33

That's not real politics.

0:47:330:47:34

The committee on renovating the palace has published its report.

0:47:430:47:46

'The report anticipates that sooner rather than later,

0:47:470:47:50

'we've got to completely refurbish every aspect of the building

0:47:500:47:54

'and that means we should plan to move out

0:47:540:47:56

'and then we can actually do a proper job.'

0:47:560:47:58

The suggested new home for the Lords is the QE2 conference centre,

0:48:000:48:04

just across Parliament Square.

0:48:040:48:05

This is a horrible, ghastly, 1970s architectural monstrosity

0:48:060:48:10

in my opinion, but nevertheless, it is perfect for our purposes.

0:48:100:48:14

I know we've got a few colleagues who suggest

0:48:160:48:18

close the whole thing down and build a new one in Birmingham or whatever.

0:48:180:48:21

No, the concern some will have is that once we leave,

0:48:210:48:26

we may never go back in.

0:48:260:48:27

Some wicked government in the future will say,

0:48:270:48:30

"Ah, well, that's the Lords out of the place now, let's close it down."

0:48:300:48:33

I don't think that will happen.

0:48:330:48:34

I can understand how some people say,

0:48:380:48:40

dangerous moving out, because

0:48:400:48:41

you never know what quite will happen then.

0:48:410:48:44

There are things like the dress of the doorkeepers.

0:48:440:48:47

You know, the Black Rod may no longer be called Black Rod,

0:48:480:48:51

for example. Is he really going to walk around

0:48:510:48:53

with a sword on his hip for various events?

0:48:530:48:56

I think a lot of these things could be removed.

0:48:560:48:58

People say, "No, we don't really want to do that."

0:48:580:49:00

Once you've had a break, that's the time to do it.

0:49:000:49:03

-BARONESS BOOTHROYD:

-We probably all have to move out.

0:49:030:49:05

It will be very traumatic for me personally when that happens.

0:49:050:49:09

I love being here.

0:49:090:49:10

I look at the paintings, the glorious ceilings we have.

0:49:100:49:14

Or the library.

0:49:140:49:16

What is going to happen to all of this? I ask myself that question.

0:49:160:49:20

How are we going to preserve this so that one day we can come back

0:49:200:49:24

and make this a real parliament, you know, again?

0:49:240:49:27

The Lords have had to move out of their chamber before.

0:49:320:49:35

And still survived.

0:49:350:49:37

Oh! We've got something here which shows you

0:49:370:49:39

the officials of Parliament managed to keep traditions going,

0:49:390:49:42

doesn't matter what happens.

0:49:420:49:43

After the Second World War, the House of Commons was destroyed,

0:49:430:49:47

the Commons moved into the chamber of the House of Lords

0:49:470:49:51

and the Lords moved through there into the Robing Room.

0:49:510:49:54

So what happened, at the Queen's speech,

0:49:540:49:57

when the Commons were in here,

0:49:570:49:58

Black Rod came down through the Royal Gallery,

0:49:580:50:01

came here and knocked with his rod on THIS door.

0:50:010:50:04

So this door has got exactly the same kind of marks

0:50:040:50:08

that the door of the House of Commons has.

0:50:080:50:11

There are going to be very serious questions

0:50:110:50:13

when we move out to other buildings.

0:50:130:50:15

It will be very, very difficult for them to keep some of the traditions

0:50:150:50:20

and keep some of the ceremonial going.

0:50:200:50:22

But don't underestimate their ability to find ways of doing it.

0:50:220:50:28

And I'm sure that Black Rod,

0:50:280:50:31

even now, will be thinking,

0:50:310:50:34

is there a door Black Rod can knock on?

0:50:340:50:36

It's definitely a landmark occasion,

0:50:450:50:46

it's something that we'll probably never, ever see again.

0:50:460:50:49

We're going to get a lot of Lords in the chamber today and it's going to be busy.

0:50:490:50:52

There's been a lot of talk saying, if they do vote against anything,

0:50:550:50:58

then they're going to get rid of the House of Lords.

0:50:580:51:01

I don't want that to happen, I'd be out of a job.

0:51:010:51:03

The Government's Brexit bill has been passed in the Commons

0:51:030:51:06

by a large majority.

0:51:060:51:08

It is now down to the Lords to agree it.

0:51:080:51:11

'I came to London last night to prepare for it today

0:51:120:51:15

'because it is such a big day.

0:51:150:51:16

'I've been listening to the radio and TV last night and this morning,

0:51:160:51:19

'and they're all talking about the House of Lords.'

0:51:190:51:23

Hi, how are you?

0:51:250:51:26

-I'm very well, thank you, how are you?

-Very well.

0:51:260:51:28

That's brilliant, nice and strong.

0:51:280:51:30

I've been getting e-mails the like of which I can't recall,

0:51:330:51:37

asking us to do something about stopping Brexit.

0:51:370:51:41

If the House of Commons is going to just meekly accept

0:51:430:51:47

this flawed referendum result and take it as an instruction,

0:51:470:51:51

why are they there at all?

0:51:510:51:53

All that we have now to protect our constitution

0:51:540:51:57

and protect our democracy is the House of Lords.

0:51:570:51:59

'People made the decision.

0:52:070:52:09

'It's simply our job to enact it without mucking around with it.'

0:52:090:52:13

It is a very, very short bill.

0:52:130:52:15

It has come from the Commons unamended with a massive majority.

0:52:150:52:20

I want to say to peers,

0:52:200:52:22

if they want to actually try and vote against this bill,

0:52:220:52:25

they will open up a firestorm of resentment in the country.

0:52:250:52:29

Record numbers of peers want to speak in the two-day debate.

0:52:320:52:36

What we've got here, we have the speakers list.

0:52:360:52:38

They're not normally this long.

0:52:380:52:40

And we have got 84 speakers today and more coming tomorrow.

0:52:400:52:44

We'll start at 11 o'clock, with Lord Lamont,

0:52:440:52:46

and then we'll go until the end,

0:52:460:52:48

which is 187 speakers.

0:52:480:52:51

Fun day.

0:52:510:52:52

This is much bigger than anything I've encountered

0:52:560:52:59

during my political lifetime.

0:52:590:53:00

That would apply to everybody else in this chamber today.

0:53:000:53:03

I mean, this is big league time.

0:53:040:53:06

It's standing room only in the chamber.

0:53:110:53:13

But a surprise visitor has squeezed in.

0:53:150:53:18

When any Privy Counsellor comes, they have to sign in the book here.

0:53:200:53:25

February 2017, we've got the Prime Minister there.

0:53:270:53:30

You wouldn't really know it was the Prime Minister,

0:53:300:53:32

so she's conveniently written "Prime Minister" alongside for us.

0:53:320:53:36

Theresa May is taking up her right to sit in front of the throne,

0:53:360:53:39

the first Prime Minister to do so in a quarter of a century.

0:53:390:53:43

I don't think anyone comes in here to intimidate the House of Lords

0:53:430:53:48

because the House of Lords is a fairly unintimidate-able

0:53:480:53:51

body of people.

0:53:510:53:53

I know that a lot of media said, "Oh, she was showing, 'Look,

0:53:530:53:56

"'I'm keeping an eye on you lot, don't you dare do anything.'"

0:53:560:53:59

I think actually it was, in a funny way,

0:53:590:54:01

good leadership, good naval leadership.

0:54:010:54:04

The two-day debate will decide

0:54:040:54:06

whether the bill goes to the next stage in the Lords.

0:54:060:54:09

If we ask the House of Commons to look again at an issue,

0:54:100:54:14

it is not a constitutional outrage, but a constitutional responsibility.

0:54:140:54:19

Hear, hear.

0:54:190:54:21

If this House tries to sabotage the bill,

0:54:220:54:25

we will be called the real enemy of the people.

0:54:250:54:28

We will have unleashed demons which will not be controlled.

0:54:280:54:31

To listen to the arguments and to decide how to vote.

0:54:310:54:35

That's Parliamentary democracy for you.

0:54:350:54:37

And if we don't stick to that,

0:54:370:54:39

it's not just the House of Lords that will be redundant,

0:54:390:54:42

it's the House of Commons as well.

0:54:420:54:44

MUMBLES OF AGREEMENT

0:54:440:54:46

The question is that this bill be now read a second time.

0:54:470:54:51

As many of that opinion will say, "Content."

0:54:510:54:53

Content.

0:54:530:54:54

To the contrary, "Not content." The contents have it.

0:54:540:54:58

The House has passed the bill through its first stage.

0:55:000:55:04

They will now vote on amendments.

0:55:040:55:06

185, 190 speeches.

0:55:060:55:09

That's not what people outside have been asking for, writing to us,

0:55:090:55:12

sending us e-mails, ringing us up.

0:55:120:55:14

They're asking for decisions.

0:55:140:55:16

Over the coming days, the Lords make changes to the detail of the bill.

0:55:180:55:23

Temporary defeat for the Government.

0:55:230:55:25

There have voted contents, 358.

0:55:250:55:30

Not contents, 256.

0:55:310:55:34

So the contents have it.

0:55:340:55:36

But they will not have the final say.

0:55:410:55:44

Peers have no intention of stopping the bill in its tracks,

0:55:440:55:47

and will ultimately bow to the Commons,

0:55:470:55:50

whether they accept their amendments or not.

0:55:500:55:53

The decision now has been made.

0:55:540:55:56

I voted remain but the decision has been made to go.

0:55:560:55:59

The House of Lords can't and doesn't want to overturn

0:55:590:56:03

the will of the people or the will of the Commons.

0:56:030:56:06

Leaving Europe will hand Parliament a massive workload,

0:56:080:56:11

passing new legislation to replace EU law that is lost.

0:56:110:56:15

The Lords will come into their own.

0:56:170:56:19

Burrowing into the heap of legislation

0:56:190:56:21

flowing from the Commons,

0:56:210:56:22

making amendments and refining it.

0:56:220:56:25

I've referred to us as being Parliamentary worms,

0:56:270:56:29

and we will be wriggling furiously over the next couple of years.

0:56:290:56:33

We can't overstep the mark, because if we do, worms get squashed.

0:56:330:56:37

But we will have a huge role to play over the next couple of years

0:56:380:56:41

and it's very difficult to think of a time when the House of Lords

0:56:410:56:44

is going to be more significant in that legislative process.

0:56:440:56:48

We'll be getting into the nitty-gritty.

0:56:480:56:50

And as everybody knows, and I know as an ex-MP,

0:56:500:56:53

the MPs are not very good at dealing with that.

0:56:530:56:55

Both Houses will have to work very carefully together

0:56:550:57:00

to hold the government to account,

0:57:000:57:01

to make sure that ridiculous things don't slip through.

0:57:010:57:04

Brexit will make the Parliamentary worms more important than ever.

0:57:040:57:09

Secure in their immediate future.

0:57:090:57:11

It is the Palace of Westminster itself

0:57:140:57:16

which is facing the most dramatic change,

0:57:160:57:20

with radical building work and the loss of its inhabitants.

0:57:200:57:23

One day I was coming to work and I stopped on Westminster Bridge

0:57:370:57:40

and I looked at it and thought, "Bloody hell, that's where I work."

0:57:400:57:43

If we move out,

0:57:450:57:47

I personally wouldn't really want to go and work anywhere else.

0:57:470:57:50

If we move out here, we stay dressed like this,

0:57:500:57:52

you haven't got the same nostalgia, the same history.

0:57:520:57:56

Wherever we go work after this,

0:57:580:58:00

the Queen Elizabeth building, anything, it won't be the same.

0:58:000:58:03

It just won't be the same.

0:58:040:58:05

Are you interested in finding out more about the House of Lords,

0:58:220:58:25

and the role it plays in the UK's political system? Go to...

0:58:250:58:29

..and follow the links to the Open University.

0:58:330:58:36

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