Lords debate on motion to call attention to the celebrations of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin. Motion withdrawn.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the celebrations of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin. Motion withdrawn.

My Lords, first, I congratulate my good friend the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, on this very timely debate. The two greatest alumni of my Cambridge college—Christ’s College—which celebrated its 500th birthday four years ago, were Milton and Darwin. The quinquennial lecture was given by Professor Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel...

My Lords, first, I congratulate my good friend the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, on this very timely debate. The two greatest alumni of my Cambridge college—Christ’s College—which celebrated its 500th birthday four years ago, were Milton and Darwin. The quinquennial lecture was given by Professor Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel...

My Lords, it is a great delight and honour for me to open today’s debate about a great man who represented a great era in our history, when scientific and technological developments moved us into a new world. This very building is a product of that age and I have...

My Lords, it is a great delight and honour for me to open today’s debate about a great man who represented a great era in our history, when scientific and technological developments moved us into a new world. This very building is a product of that age and I have...

My Lords, like other noble Lords I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for this very timely debate. No one can read the Origin of Species without being struck first and foremost by the massive integrity and honesty of Darwin. He always admits where he does not...

My Lords, like other noble Lords I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for this very timely debate. No one can read the Origin of Species without being struck first and foremost by the massive integrity and honesty of Darwin. He always admits where he does not...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lady Hooper on initiating this splendid debate. It has been so revealing that several noble Lords have such distinguished ancestors associated with Darwin, including my noble friends Lord Jenkin of Roding and Lord Lyell, and the noble Lord, Lord Avebury, but more...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lady Hooper on initiating this splendid debate. It has been so revealing that several noble Lords have such distinguished ancestors associated with Darwin, including my noble friends Lord Jenkin of Roding and Lord Lyell, and the noble Lord, Lord Avebury, but more...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for introducing a rich and fascinating debate. I have learnt much from it. The title it was given was, ""to call attention to the celebrations of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin"." Although mention has been made of them,...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for introducing a rich and fascinating debate. I have learnt much from it. The title it was given was, ""to call attention to the celebrations of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin"." Although mention has been made of them,...

My Lords, I feel totally justified in having brought this Motion before your Lordships. It has been a serious, well informed and inspiring debate, and as I anticipated, I, for one, have learnt a great deal. I found it fascinating, in listening to every word from every speaker, is that...

My Lords, I feel totally justified in having brought this Motion before your Lordships. It has been a serious, well informed and inspiring debate, and as I anticipated, I, for one, have learnt a great deal. I found it fascinating, in listening to every word from every speaker, is that...

My Lords, it is customary from this Dispatch Box to thank the originator of the debate, and I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for producing an occasion that we will all recall with a great deal of pleasure, given the diversity of viewpoints that have been expressed and the...

My Lords, it is customary from this Dispatch Box to thank the originator of the debate, and I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, for producing an occasion that we will all recall with a great deal of pleasure, given the diversity of viewpoints that have been expressed and the...

My Lords, that was a helpful interjection, and some of my distinguished colleagues will be able to tackle that question much better than I can. I was on the point of moving from that aspect of Darwin’s life to explore a little the controversy over his theory of evolution and...

My Lords, that was a helpful interjection, and some of my distinguished colleagues will be able to tackle that question much better than I can. I was on the point of moving from that aspect of Darwin’s life to explore a little the controversy over his theory of evolution and...

My Lords, the biggest temptation in this debate today will be to look back only in a historical sense at the great achievements of Charles Darwin, to glorify his scientific research and evaluate his achievements. However, on occasions such as this, we must look forward with optimism and inspire a...

My Lords, the biggest temptation in this debate today will be to look back only in a historical sense at the great achievements of Charles Darwin, to glorify his scientific research and evaluate his achievements. However, on occasions such as this, we must look forward with optimism and inspire a...