My 1911 Centenary Lecture on Enoch Powell was included in the BBC Parliament Channel’s summer loop for the period that Parliament was in recess. I see that my History of Parliament Lecture on the Parliament Act 1911 is included in the Channel’s Christmas loop. So far it has gone out at times that are of use to insomniacs and those who start work incredibly early. However, I see it is scheduled to be broadcast at 10.45 p.m. on Boxing Day. I know, it’s one way to end the Christmas holiday with a difference….
Christmas viewing
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I am one of the sad people who watched your lecture, it came on just after the one by the Speaker on the Act. I was wishing I had heard your talk first. Howerver, it was the wee small hours of Hogmanay up here in Scotland and the phone kept ringing, and I had intermittently to put the sound down to greet relatives.
I have looked in vain for a print copy of the lecture to fill in the blanks, but to no avail. Is it to be published in an accessible form soon? I do hope so.
Given we had a (relatively!) clean slate here in Scotland when our Parliament was formed less than 20 yrs ago, and given the recent debacle over the AV referendum, I had come to the view that one of the difficulties in negotiating Scottish Independence in whatever modern form this might take, was the fact that we had no English Parliament to negotiate with, and were faced with a medieval Westminster institution, mired in past precedence, history and vested interests, and completely incapable of reforming itself on any rational basis. I am not sure your lecture reassured me at all!
Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson: Many thanks. The lecture was also repeated this morning and will be broadcast at least a couple of times more this week. It will be published in the journal ‘Parliamentary History’ later this year. However, if you or any other reader would like a copy,just let me have a mailing address or an e-mail and I will be pleased to send a copy.