Plaid peers at the back of the queue

Peter Mandelson will return to Parliament today when he takes his seat in the House of Lords.

His elevation to the title of Lord Mandelson [Baron Mandelson of Foy in the county of Herefordshire and Hartlepool in the county of Durham] follows his remarkable Cabinet comeback – the second of his career – in Gordon Brown’s reshuffle last week.

The controversial New Labour figure has given up his job as EU Trade Commissioner to take over from John Hutton as Business Secretary.

Following an introductory ceremony in the House on Monday, letters patent detailing his title will be read out.

In addition to Peter Mandelson, Susan Campbell, David Pannick, Stephen Carter and Paul Myners, will be in line to be raised to the peerage in the near future.

What happens when you oppose the House of Lords for most of your political party's life? - straight to the back of the queue [Dafydd Wigley, Janet Davies and Eurfyl ap Gwilym]

Plaid Lords are leaping: The party giveth and the party taketh away

Following on from an earlier post it seems at National Council*, Plaid Cymru have democratically nominated [sort of] their potential peers for the House of Lords, or as they prefer to call it, the Second Chamber. Going off subject, does that mean that they refer to the National Assembly as the Second House of Legislation?... I think not

Anyway, the three nominated are Dafydd Wigley, Eurfyl ap Gwilym and Janet Davies.

Some believe that this process was Plaid's master stroke, others differ in opinion. I hope that some have repaid the favour - when casting votes - of Janet 'retiring' at the last Assembly election.

.

Somehow I don't think they will break with tradition and not be styled appropriately after they get the nod from the Prime Minister. It makes you wonder how long it will be before there's mention of 'reforming the chamber from within'.

.

*Other news from Plaid National Council: The Council also agreed to look again at the rule that prevented Mr Wigley from returning to the Assembly last year – the party’s policy of having a woman at the top of its regional lists. Mr Wigley was placed second on the North Wales list below Janet Ryder, who was elected. The same policy also gave Ms Jenkins the number one slot on the South Wales West list with just 14 votes.

But the controversy the policy caused within the party – it became known as the “Wigley Rule” – means Plaid will now look at a policy of whoever receives the highest number of votes from party members being placed on top of the regional list, with the second place automatically being given to a candidate of the opposite sex, a system known as ‘zipping’.