§ 3.16 p.m.
Viscount CranborneMy Lords, perhaps the House will allow me to intervene briefly in pursuance of what I hope the House will agree is important business as regards your Lordships in the ave atque vale department. Your Lordships will have noticed that there has been a change in the leadership of your Lordships' House and that we must bid farewell to the noble Lord, Lord Richard. I am sure that the House will join me in wishing the noble Lord well in his retirement.
Viscount CranborneMy Lords, the noble Lord and I have been associated professionally for about four years. I should like to place on record my extreme appreciation of the personal courtesy and cordiality which has always accompanied our relations. I hope that that cordiality will continue into private life and that we shall have the opportunity to continue lunching together at regular intervals, with his permission. I hope that the permission of his former political bosses will not this time be required in order for those agreeable occasions to take place.
On behalf of this side of the House, I thank the noble Lord for his leadership of the House since the election. Whatever our political differences may have been, I know none better. As regards his personal dedication to the cause of an independent second Chamber, on that he and I have always wholly agreed, whatever our differences may be about the means necessary to bring that objective into place. I very much appreciate the firm convictions which have always animated his statements in that regard.
Perhaps I may say once again that I am sure the whole House wishes the noble Lord a very happy retirement from official life. Such are the vagaries of politics that we can even venture the hope that one day he will return in some kind of official capacity. Certainly, the extraordinary variety of his service to the nation is such that to write him off at this stage may well be premature.
I also understand that we have to congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Jay, as successor to the noble Lord. May I give the noble Baroness a warm welcome from these Benches. I think I am right in saying, and I can say without fear of contradiction in your Lordships' House, that since becoming a Peer she has earned the respect and, indeed, the affection of the House as a whole. I greatly look forward to working with her in this House during the course of her leadership. It is no more than pious political hope which leads me to expect that tenure of her present distinguished position will not last beyond the next general election.
1195 Perhaps I should also "knock on the head" what I know she will find to be an unworthy reaction that I have heard in different parts of the House as a result of her appointment, which is that it is a final vindication for the hereditary principle. I think the House knows well enough the noble Baroness's firm support of her party's policies to realise that the fact that she is the daughter of a former Prime Minister is merely incidental and that she will strongly cleave to the policies set out in her party's manifesto.
I, too, greatly look forward to working with the noble Baroness. I know that she will pursue the great traditions of the leadership of this House that in everything except for purely party political matters the Leader of this House is Leader of the whole House. Certainly on this side of the Chamber we pledge our support and look forward to her guidance and advice during the months and years to come.
§ Lord Rodgers of Quarry BankMy Lords, may I associate these Benches with the sentiments expressed by the noble Viscount to the noble Lord, Lord Richard, who, I think, has had a difficult year as Leader of the House but has always put the consideration of the House first. He is an old friend of mine and his service in public life over many years is something which none of us will forget or underestimate.
Changes in government are celebrations for some but they are always painful for others. I think we should remember both categories at the present time. Like the noble Viscount, I greatly welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Jay, to her new role. We shall show great good will towards her and understanding of her actions as Leader of the House. I am sure she will show reciprocal understanding when, from time to time, we are fairly difficult from these Benches.
§ Lord WeatherillMy Lords, may I, on behalf of the Cross-Benchers, also thank the noble Lord, Lord Richard, for the way in which he has shown very fair consideration for Cross-Benchers during the time he has been Leader of the House. I too give a welcome to the noble Baroness, Lady Jay. We look forward to working with her. I hope that she will not forget that we now number 326 on the Cross-Benches.
§ Lord RichardMy Lords, unaccustomed as I am to speaking from this particular spot, I thank the noble Viscount, the noble Lord, Lord Rodgers, and the noble Lord, Lord Weatherill, for their kind sentiments. It strikes me that perhaps the rumours of my retirement from politics are a little premature, if I may respond to the noble Viscount. I have no intention of departing from these proceedings. From time to time I might even feel compelled to utter a few words.
These occasions are rather like funeral orations with the corpse having a right of reply. This particular corpse is not yet so defunct as to be incapable of expressing his deep thanks for the sentiments uttered by the noble Viscount and other noble Lords. It has been instructive, interesting, stimulating and enjoyable to have served as Leader of your Lordships' House. It has also been a 1196 great honour. I am grateful to those who gave me that honour for the time that I was able to enjoy it. Thank you very much.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonMy Lords, I should like to thank noble Lords who have spoken, particularly the noble Viscount, the Leader of the Opposition, for his kind words of welcome to me in my new position. It is an honour and a privilege to take on the position; it is also somewhat daunting. However, I look forward, given the expressions of co-operation heard from all around the House, to maintaining both the effective process of business and the longstanding courtesies which we always enjoy in this House. I simply disagree with the noble Viscount, as he would expect, concerning his pious political hope.
Perhaps I may take this opportunity to thank my noble friend Lord Richard for the extraordinary leadership he has given both to the party and to the Government in the House since we took office. He has guided us most effectively. He was a particularly good and helpful Leader to me in my previous role as deputy Leader. I am glad to hear my noble friend say that he has no intention of retiring as I shall look to him both for personal support and for public support on the Floor of the House.