Photograph: Werner Schmidt

Saturday, July 10, 2010

The Commons Beat The Lords

“The Fifth Parliamentary Boat Race, the House of Lords against the House of Commons took place last Thursday, 7th July, on the Thames from Lambeth Bridge to the Houses of Parliament,” Tim Koch writes from London. He continues, “The event was again sponsored by Siemens (also sponsors of British Rowing) who presented £5,000 to charities chosen by the All Party Parliamentary Rowing Group. Organising a race consisting of largely inexperienced rowers on fast water in a high security zone is a lot of work and full credit must go to Alan Foster of London Rowing Club and a very large band of helpers. Before the race the score stood at two wins each. (See also entry on 10 June, 2010)

House of Lords (Red): The Lord Bilimoria (Bow), The Baroness Walmsley (2), The Lord Greenway (3), The Lord Clement-Jones (4), The Viscount Goschen (5), The Lord Addington (6), Lord Lucas of Crudwelland Dingwall (7), The Lord Thomas of Gresford (Stroke)

House of Commons Crew (Green): Don Foster MP, Bath, (Bow), George Freeman MP, Mid-Norfolk, (2), Matthew Offord MP, Hendon, (3), Tom Brake MP, Carlshalton and Wallington, (4), Duncan Hames MP, Chippenham, (5), Eric Joyce MP, Falkirk, (6), Edward Leigh MP, Gainsborough, (7), Bill Wiggin MP, Leominster, (Stroke)

The Commons won comfortably, surely using the spirit of cooperation fostered by a coalition government. Their Lordships are perhaps hampered by the virtual abolition of the right of hereditary peers to sit in the Lords as many of the latter would have attended that fine rowing academy, Eton.”

Thank you, Tim for a nice report!

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