Sixty five peers take the Liberal Democrat whip in the House of Lords, of which sixty are life peers and five are hereditary. Five of these Liberal Democrat members of the Lords live in the East of England. In the Summer 2003 issue of eA we have asked them to talk about their work in the House.

Rt Hon. Baroness Williams of Crosby

Shirley Williams is one of the most instantly recognisable figures in British and European politics. She was elected as the Labour MP for Hitchin in 1964-74 and for Hertford and Stevenage 1974-79. Harold Wilson appointed her Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection in 1974. She was Secretary of State for Education and Science in the Callaghan government of 1976-79.

One of the original gang of four who founded the SDP, Shirley won the famous Crosby by-election in November 1981. She was narrowly defeated at the general election of 1987 in Cambridge. As President of the SDP she played a central role in the merger with the Liberal Party in 1988, and was created a life peer in 1993.

Her academic career culminated in becoming Professor of Elective Politics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1988. She succeeded Bill Rodgers as Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Lords in 2001.

Respected across the House for her clear mind and trenchant style, Shirley is one of the foremost political figures of her generation.

Shirley Williams is married to Dick Neustadt, and lives in the lovely fold of Hertfordshire between Stevenage and Bishop’s Stortford. She is President of the East of England Liberal Democrats.

Baroness Scott of Needham Market

A Suffolk County Councillor, Ros Scott was no. 2 on the Euro list in 1999. She writes: "My portfolio in the Lords includes local and regional government, transport and planning , and keeps me pretty busy! We have just finished the Regional Assemblies Referendum Bill which paves the way for potential directly elected regional assemblies.

"I am currently busy with two new pieces of legislation, the Local Government Finance Bill and the Rail and Transport Safety Bill. Ever since becoming involved in local government have taken a keen interest in road safety issues and will be attempting to persuade the Government to bite the bullet on the drink drive limit and lower our limit to that in the rest of Europe. I'm also going to be pressing the government on reviewing speed limits in rural areas, and looking at heavy goods vehicles in the countryside."

Lord Addington

Dominic Addington, the 6th Baron, who lives in Norwich, is on the policy committee of the regional party. He writes: "It was at the age of 22 that I entered the House of Lords after taking my father’s title, becoming the youngest serving peer. I have used my youth to my advantage in the chamber, particularly during the Student Loans Bill. 

"However, it wasn’t until I graduated from the University of Aberdeen that I became an active member of the Lords. I took the position of sports spokesman in 1993, and have also been disability spokesman since 1994.

"Having dyslexia has encouraged me to lend my support to the British Dyslexia Association and take the position of Vice-President. I am also Vice-President of the UK Sports Association and I am a keen rugby player. I am captain of the Commons and Lords Rugby and Football team, and have played in two Parliamentary World Cups competitions in 1994 and 1999."

Lord Phillips of Sudbury

Andrew Phillips OBE was made a life peer in 1998. A Cambridge graduate, he has fought five parliamentary elections. About his career in the Lords he says: "My preoccupation with the relationship between the citizen and the State draws me particularly to Home Office affairs, to European Union democracy matters, and to support local autonomy.

"Currently, I am fighting the Courts Bill insofar as it centralises the running of Magistrates’ Courts. We have already won three votes. I am also part of a strong Liberal Democrat team of peers resisting those aspects of the Communications Bill which treats cultural goods like baked beans, and allows further concentration of media ownership.

"The Labour government’s besotment with market force values and centralisation truly mystifies me."

Lord McNally of Blackpool

Tom McNally, who lives in St Albans, was Political Adviser to Prime Minister James Callaghan, 1976-79. Elected Labour MP for Stockport in 1979, he was a founder member of the SDP in 1981. He writes: "For me the Communications Bill has dominated the Parliamentary Session coming to a close. This is the Bill which empowers the new super regulator Ofcom. It is important because it sets the framework within which all out electronic communications systems from radio and television to mobile phones and the Internet will work. It deals with both the technologies and the content of our media.

"The Liberal Democrats fought long and hard to strengthen the position of the citizen and the consumer against crude market forces. Real improvements were made to the Bill in defence of our culture and our democracy from powerful global media conglomerates by insisting on strong content regulations and distinctive regional content for both television and radio.

"Often against a united Labour and Conservative alliance it was the Liberal Democrats who argued for quality, diversity and choice in our broadcasting and genuine plurality both in source and expression for news services in particular."