Peers Vote for Speaker

History is in the making today as for the first time the House of Lords are electing the very first Lord Speaker. For practically 1000 years parliament has coped fine with a Lord Chancellor doing the job and frankly their Lordships are much more civil than the MPs that they never really needed a speaker. However, New Labour ignoring years of history and constitutional convention decided a Lord Speaker was very much required. The election takes place today in the Moses Room until 8.00pm and all Peers who have a seat in the upper house may vote. The result then is top secret and is taken to the Queen for approval before being declared in the House of Lords on July 4th. What happens if Her Majesty doesn't like the result then I don't know what happens. In the running alongside 5 others, is Liberal Dumbocrat Peer Lord Redesdale (pictured). In the 75 word statement each candidate was invited to submit, Redesdale said "I pledge, as Speaker I would do as little as possible in the Chamber, apart from sitting on the Woolsack". Not a bad little job for £101,000 a year, apartment chucked in and a £10,000 robe.