The three candidates to become the next Lord Speaker have today published their manifestos for the role, and in a very modern twist, each produced an election video. Who said the Lords aren’t tech savvy? Guido has summarised the candidates and their proposals below:

• Baroness Hayter (Labour)
  • Former Labour Party Chairman. Former Director of Alcohol Concern. Deputy leader of Labour in the Lords. Member of Labour Friends of Israel.
  • Key points:
    • We should see ourselves described as “a House of Experts” rather than “the unelected House”.
    • ensure that, in R&R, the decant is as speedy as possible so we can be back functioning in our rightful place.
    • commitment to “Two Houses; One Parliament”

• Lord McFall (Non Affiliated Deputy Speaker – Formerly Labour)
  • Former Labour MP. Senior Deputy Speaker of the Lords. Scottish. Chair of the Scotch Whisky and Spirits APPG and the Royal Navy APPG.
  • Key points:
    • House must remain on the path of reform and modernisation, respecting the Burns Report
    • We need a clear plan to communicate not only what we do, but the real value of what we do
    • We have a role defending and promoting the Union

• Baron Alderdice (Lib Dem)
  • Former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Former leader of the Alliance Party. Former convenor of Liberal Democrat peers.
  • Key points:
    • We must return as soon as possible to work at Westminster
    • Changes in the culture and operation of the House to ensure it is an effective work-place where all feel comfortable

Yesterday, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister in the Lords, Baroness Hayter, accused the government of a “costly” approach to spending on Britain’s post-Brexit border arrangements. This must have come as news to her calamity colleague Rachel Reeves, who earlier this week described the border spending as “too little, too late”.

At the start of the week Reeves couldn’t decide if the border spending is coming too early or too late. Today it seems Labour can’t decide if the Government’s £705 million border funding package is“too costly” or “too little”. Brexit seriously competing with the economy for Labour incompetence in the Shadow Cabinet…