Contributions
4,038 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI agree that nobody in this House should feel unsafe. Mr Speaker himself, as a Deputy Speaker—the Chairman of Ways and Means—ran a very effective procedure of ensuring that…12 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI begin by thanking the hon. Member for Luton South (Rachel Hopkins). It is an absolute pleasure to follow her. I used to find that I was very often in agreement with her…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI beg to move, That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 1.10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillThe Government’s commitment to ensure that the House has updated and equal parliamentary constituencies has been reflected in the tenacity of my hon. Friend the Minister for the…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI am spoilt for choice. I will give way to the hon. Gentleman because I heard him marginally earlier, probably because of the distance factor.10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI think it is of fundamental importance; the Lord Chancellor is there to say to Ministers that they should not criticise judges. That is one of his roles, to ensure that proper…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillThe Lord Chancellor being in the House of Commons is something that happened earlier in our history, too. The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that Thomas More was Lord…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillMy right hon. Friend makes a fair point. We all recognise that the numbers will diverge from the moment the commission finishes its work as people move around the country.…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillFreedom of the individual in participation is of fundamental importance. People have to decide whether they wish to vote—whether they wish to be actively involved. It is worth…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillThe hon. Gentleman cannot have it both ways. Devolved matters are for the devolved authorities to take care of, not for Her Majesty’s national Government to take care of. The…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillIt is a matter for the Welsh Government to decide how they draw up their register. If they want help from HM Government, I am sure they will have ways and means of getting in…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillI can confirm that the Venice Commission’s “Code of good practice in electoral matters” states that the permissible departure from the norm should not be more than 10%, and I…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsI beg to move, That, in accordance with Standing Order No. 149A, Professor Michael Maguire CBE be appointed as lay member of the Committee on Standards for a period of six years,…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsIt was a leader of the hon. Gentleman’s own party who once said that a week is a long time in politics and an opportunity for considerable discussion to take place. Let me be…10 Nov 2020HANSARD Parliamentary Constituencies BillYes; my hon. Friend has momentarily pre-empted me, because that is exactly what I was about to do. The whole House has noted our hon. Friend’s positive approach to the challenge…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsThe Commission looked at a broad paper setting out the way the recruitment would take place; it did not look at the details and the questions that the Committee would ask in terms…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsThe point is self-evident: if somebody joins a party specifically to vote for X, they also specifically vote against Y. Y is a Member of this House. The person in question who…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsI said quite clearly that she supported a faction. If someone supports one candidate in a leadership election, they are self-evidently supporting a faction. That is just normal…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsI think that is completely wrong, and I also think that the hon. Gentleman is trying to put the cart before the horse. The House is not bound by the rules set for it by the…10 Nov 2020HANSARDCommittee on StandardsThe point is that we have the presentation of partiality. That is why I was so careful to say that I have the highest respect for the hon. Lady’s integrity. I was careful in my…10 Nov 2020