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731 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Electoral ReformThe hon. Lady is right. From the facts, I cannot argue with that point, and I would not seek to. My point about the politics of place is part of a set of points that, in my view,…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformIf the hon. Lady will allow me to make my second point, I will be happy to give way. The second important feature is accountability, which with first past the post is linked to…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformWe are indeed in this place to improve our democracy. That is why I took the time when opening my remarks to set out some of the ways I am doing that. I am sorry to make a…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformYes, that is a very wise summary to put into this debate. It puts me back in mind of some important principles that the hon. Member for North East Fife struck in her remarks. She…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformI do understand that point. I personally would use a similar argument to apply to one’s vote getting rather lost in a national system that did not give accountability directly to…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformI give way to the hon. Gentleman, having named him several times.08 Jun 2020HANSARD Electoral ReformI understand and recognise the argument, but this Parliament represents the UK parliamentary voting franchise, and it is that that I am speaking about. As it happens, I also fully…08 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillAnd so do I. And so does every single Member of Parliament in this House if they are working hard for their constituents. I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman mangled his words at…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillIt is a logical question. I have said that I will update the House in due course on that. I am looking at several options to get the most complete and accurate data for us to use…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI can promise you, Madam Deputy Speaker, that that is the last intervention I will take, but it does give me the chance to say that the boundary commissions will listen to the…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillThank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Perhaps I had better make progress and take no further interventions. I will endeavour to speak as quickly as I can to cover the remainder of the…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s argument, but I think it is a really bad argument. It argues against having equal-sized constituencies, which is fundamental. If we want to…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillThat is not exactly what I have said. What I will make clear in just a second is that there is a list of factors that the boundary commissions must have regard to in the…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI think the hon. Gentleman will find that that remains in the legislation that is already in place. I was going to come on to that in just a moment, giving the list of factors…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI thank my hon. Friend for that point. As she rightly says, there are aspects of community that really come out when we are thinking of rural seats, just as they do in respect of…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillYes, I certainly can, very straightforwardly. The public consultation elements of the legislation stay in place. We think that is very, very important, so that everybody the hon.…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillYes, I am happy to do that. I think there are two points to that clarification. First, we calculate broadly that an eight-year cycle would give us a likelihood of two elections…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillYes, I can confirm exactly that. My hon. Friend illustrates the point I have just made; the intention of that improvement is indeed to allow prospective local government…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI understand the argument on census data, and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for putting it, but I do not think it is the right thing to do. I am very happy to explain why,…02 Jun 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillIt is only a shame that we are not spending yet more time in that particular Bill Committee. I have particularly regretted the hours not spent in the company of the hon. Gentleman…02 Jun 2020