Paul Evans
@courtenayilbert.bsky.social
Retired Clerk in House of Commons, continuing as a parliamentary nerd; Victorian by nature; books and buildings biggest passions. Lives in and cares about Wales.
Further to my earlier response to this post, I today stumbled across the Report of the 2013 report of the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201314/.... At paras 258-265 it discusses the very matter of MPs and witness summons./2
October 31, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Further to my earlier response to this post, I today stumbled across the Report of the 2013 report of the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201314/.... At paras 258-265 it discusses the very matter of MPs and witness summons./2
Reposted by Paul Evans
It melts my head that X is still used for official Government communications, and, catching up on today's news and the fact we have a foreign billionaire inciting violence on our streets, it's clearer than ever that this should end.
I raised this in Parliament last week 👇
I raised this in Parliament last week 👇
September 14, 2025 at 12:12 AM
It melts my head that X is still used for official Government communications, and, catching up on today's news and the fact we have a foreign billionaire inciting violence on our streets, it's clearer than ever that this should end.
I raised this in Parliament last week 👇
I raised this in Parliament last week 👇
First conkers of 2025 - picked up in the bucolic surroundings of Heston M4 Services (Westbound since you ask). Autumn has definitely arrived. I love conkers - one of the greatest beauties in nature.
September 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM
First conkers of 2025 - picked up in the bucolic surroundings of Heston M4 Services (Westbound since you ask). Autumn has definitely arrived. I love conkers - one of the greatest beauties in nature.
Miller2 being a fine example of the Burkean constitutional model. UKSC, rightly dismissing the idea that prorogation was a proceeding of Parliament, noting that it was an unrestricted executive power, thwarted it, handing the reins back to Parliament which, unused to exercising any power, bungled it
Considered and informative the thread on the history of parliamentary sovereignty, from Professor @robertsaunders.bsky.social
I'd add that what "unlimited parliamentary supremacy" means in practice has changed over time.
The idea emerged in an era when there were two chambers with near-equal powers, party discipline was weak, the scope of legislation was less extensive & passing major legislation was genuinely hard. [...]
The idea emerged in an era when there were two chambers with near-equal powers, party discipline was weak, the scope of legislation was less extensive & passing major legislation was genuinely hard. [...]
August 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Miller2 being a fine example of the Burkean constitutional model. UKSC, rightly dismissing the idea that prorogation was a proceeding of Parliament, noting that it was an unrestricted executive power, thwarted it, handing the reins back to Parliament which, unused to exercising any power, bungled it
One can only congratulate the institute for Government for being willing to explore some of the most obscure corners of parliamentary procedure - in this case hybrid bill procedure. Surprisingly (to me) they are quite positive about it.
How can government legislate better to deliver major infrastructure projects? Fantastic new paper from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on how to improve the little-known hybrid bill procedure! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
Hybrid bills: Parliament’s role in delivering major infrastructure | Institute for Government
How to improve the hybrid bill legislative process.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
July 24, 2025 at 11:50 AM
One can only congratulate the institute for Government for being willing to explore some of the most obscure corners of parliamentary procedure - in this case hybrid bill procedure. Surprisingly (to me) they are quite positive about it.
Had strange vision today of London deserted by climate change refugees (population of Scotland quadrupled) and public transport having become economically unviable so all those tunnels adapted to cycleways which intrepid tourists used to visit ruins of the Houses of Parliament, St James Desert, etc.
June 21, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Had strange vision today of London deserted by climate change refugees (population of Scotland quadrupled) and public transport having become economically unviable so all those tunnels adapted to cycleways which intrepid tourists used to visit ruins of the Houses of Parliament, St James Desert, etc.
So Bluesky is supposed to be "nice", but here is a supposedly respected contributor shamelessly trolling ordinary decent people who grew up in the 50s to 70s when 22 degrees was regarded as quite adequate for what we humorously called Flaming June. I wonder if they're a foreigner - or worse, young?
ok do NOT shout at me but the weather right now in London is maybe my personal ideal weather, it's exactly right, I'm so happy
June 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
So Bluesky is supposed to be "nice", but here is a supposedly respected contributor shamelessly trolling ordinary decent people who grew up in the 50s to 70s when 22 degrees was regarded as quite adequate for what we humorously called Flaming June. I wonder if they're a foreigner - or worse, young?
Possibly the first appearance of an iPad in English art - Tirzah Garwood (currently to be seen at Dulwich Picture Gallery).
May 18, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Possibly the first appearance of an iPad in English art - Tirzah Garwood (currently to be seen at Dulwich Picture Gallery).
1 Has any competent, Marxist-tinged cultural historian written a history of Eurovision? In my lifetime (to show you how old I am I'm still in love with Sandie Shaw) it seems to have passed through a number of distinct phases, and I wonder what this might tell us about the wider zeitgeist. /2
May 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
1 Has any competent, Marxist-tinged cultural historian written a history of Eurovision? In my lifetime (to show you how old I am I'm still in love with Sandie Shaw) it seems to have passed through a number of distinct phases, and I wonder what this might tell us about the wider zeitgeist. /2
I hope the conference will look at the work of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. So I'm posting this to encourage former legal advisers, members and clerks to consider submitting something.
New call for papers for a conference on the impact of the Human Rights Act across multiple areas of law after 25 years in effect. Conference being put together by @echrhawk.bsky.social and @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social at @lawatleeds.bsky.social this September:
March 5, 2025 at 12:06 PM
I hope the conference will look at the work of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. So I'm posting this to encourage former legal advisers, members and clerks to consider submitting something.
An alarming proportion of people who follow me will be thrilled that the House of commons Procedure Committee has arrived on Bluesky. Let's hope this presages the arrival of many more select committees. If you follow one in particular, pile the pressure on for them to escape the cesspit of X.
Today the Committee will hear from the following witnesses for our inquiry into the status of independent MPs:
➡️ @shockatadam.bsky.social
➡️ Iqbal Mohamed MP
➡️ @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social
➡️ @ianbyrnemp.bsky.social
Watch live from 3pm: parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
➡️ @shockatadam.bsky.social
➡️ Iqbal Mohamed MP
➡️ @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social
➡️ @ianbyrnemp.bsky.social
Watch live from 3pm: parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
February 28, 2025 at 12:33 PM
An alarming proportion of people who follow me will be thrilled that the House of commons Procedure Committee has arrived on Bluesky. Let's hope this presages the arrival of many more select committees. If you follow one in particular, pile the pressure on for them to escape the cesspit of X.
For a long time I thought David Lynch and David Byrne were the same person.
January 17, 2025 at 9:53 AM
For a long time I thought David Lynch and David Byrne were the same person.
Reposted by Paul Evans
Re-post if you stand by Jess.
@jessphillipsmp.bsky.social
@jessphillipsmp.bsky.social
‘We stand by Jess’: Telford survivors criticise Musk’s attack on Phillips
Exclusive: Victims of male violence sign letter praising minister for devoting life to ‘fighting for women and girls’
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Re-post if you stand by Jess.
@jessphillipsmp.bsky.social
@jessphillipsmp.bsky.social
Why all this talk of the DUP *pulling* the Stormont Brake? Surely you *hit* the brake(s). Unless, of course, you are a joyrider performing a handbrake turn in an empty car park.
December 20, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Why all this talk of the DUP *pulling* the Stormont Brake? Surely you *hit* the brake(s). Unless, of course, you are a joyrider performing a handbrake turn in an empty car park.
I saw something somewhere recently showing that people thought MPs pay and Parliament was the second largest area of public spending. Can anyone tell me where this might have been?
December 16, 2024 at 11:58 PM
I saw something somewhere recently showing that people thought MPs pay and Parliament was the second largest area of public spending. Can anyone tell me where this might have been?
It's certainly more pleasing to gaze upon than that dreary lump of masonry that disfigures St James Park.
December 11, 2024 at 3:06 PM
It's certainly more pleasing to gaze upon than that dreary lump of masonry that disfigures St James Park.
Can I just say that you get a much better class of bitter argument over whether the facts are the facts, or over conspiracies (maybe of silence) or over allegations of four centuries worth of fake news here on Bluesky than you ever saw you know where.
1/2 Shakespeare authorship deniers (SADs) often ask why Shakespeare's death didn't cause greater public expressions of grief. But Shakespeare had left the stage years earlier and was living in Stratford, and his plays were still being regularly performed by his former fellows,
December 9, 2024 at 11:08 PM
Can I just say that you get a much better class of bitter argument over whether the facts are the facts, or over conspiracies (maybe of silence) or over allegations of four centuries worth of fake news here on Bluesky than you ever saw you know where.
This is such a reassuringly (and in some ways refreshingly) compassionate take on the assisted dying debate. Worth five minutes of anyone's time.
November 30, 2024 at 3:43 PM
This is such a reassuringly (and in some ways refreshingly) compassionate take on the assisted dying debate. Worth five minutes of anyone's time.
Nearly your last chance to buy tickets for the Study of Parliament Group's 60th anniversary conference next Thursday and Friday in Westminster!https://studyofparliamentgroup.org/2024/10/09/study-of-parliament-groups-60th-anniversary-conference/
November 29, 2024 at 1:10 PM
Nearly your last chance to buy tickets for the Study of Parliament Group's 60th anniversary conference next Thursday and Friday in Westminster!https://studyofparliamentgroup.org/2024/10/09/study-of-parliament-groups-60th-anniversary-conference/
Another excellent piece on assisted dying by David Aaronovich.
davidaaronovitch.substack.com/p/anything-b...
davidaaronovitch.substack.com/p/anything-b...
Anything but this, any time but now
Why the Assisted Dying Bill should pass and why it may not
davidaaronovitch.substack.com
November 28, 2024 at 12:58 PM
Another excellent piece on assisted dying by David Aaronovich.
davidaaronovitch.substack.com/p/anything-b...
davidaaronovitch.substack.com/p/anything-b...
This analysis by Rafael Behr is excellent.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
MPs will vote, but there is a better way to decide who has the right to die | Rafael Behr
In an age of cynicism and mistrust, politicians must work harder to involve the public in difficult decisions, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2024 at 11:56 AM
This analysis by Rafael Behr is excellent.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Very much looking forward to the Study of Parliament Group's 60th birthday conference in Westminster on 5/6 December. It is open to non-members of the Group - see here: studyofparliamentgroup.org/2024/10/09/s...
Study of Parliament Group’s 60th Anniversary Conference
Thur 5 Dec 1000–1700, Fri 6 Dec 0900–1600 [Now including draft agenda] The conference will include a range of speakers on topics such as Parliamentary standards, Parliament and the executive, and r…
studyofparliamentgroup.org
November 15, 2024 at 10:59 AM
Very much looking forward to the Study of Parliament Group's 60th birthday conference in Westminster on 5/6 December. It is open to non-members of the Group - see here: studyofparliamentgroup.org/2024/10/09/s...
I think it may get better scrutiny because, not being a government bill, it will not be possible to force it through at high speed or against the convictions (as opposed to instructions) of a majority of MPs. See my post of a few days back: bsky.app/profile/cour...
November 12, 2024 at 12:00 AM
I think it may get better scrutiny because, not being a government bill, it will not be possible to force it through at high speed or against the convictions (as opposed to instructions) of a majority of MPs. See my post of a few days back: bsky.app/profile/cour...
Larry Elliott is banging on in The Guardian about how the EU is a neoliberal conspiracy against the workers. When I was a boy, Maggie Thatcher et al used to bang on about how it was a socialist conspiracy against free enterprise and private property. Could someone please tell me who is/was right?
November 11, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Larry Elliott is banging on in The Guardian about how the EU is a neoliberal conspiracy against the workers. When I was a boy, Maggie Thatcher et al used to bang on about how it was a socialist conspiracy against free enterprise and private property. Could someone please tell me who is/was right?