Contributions
1,177 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)The hon. Lady says that Oliver Coppard got 71% of the vote in the second round, but her quote leads me to believe that the number of people who voted was no different from what it…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the Minister for begrudgingly giving way. She has just outlined that she believes a winning candidate should win a majority of the vote. We entirely agree with her, which…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I have to speak to this group of amendments because only one party has consistency when it comes to a “one vote, one election” philosophy: the Conservative party. It is lovely to…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)As you would expect, Ms Vaz, I entirely endorse my hon. Friend’s words. I suspect that if we took the motivation of this part of the Bill and told Labour Members that they could…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)Good morning, Dame Siobhain. It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair once again, and to see everybody on the Committee on this very sunny Thursday morning. I know everybody is…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)I beg to move amendment 307, in schedule 23, page 237, line 9, at end insert— “()ba a single foundation strategic authority.” This amendment would allow the Secretary of State to…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I would argue that it is up to us as politicians and candidates in the election to advertise the position and generate excitement among the electorate, so that people vote for…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)There is an argument for accepting that, but I would ask in return why the Government are giving local councils the opportunity not to use newspapers. Why put that in the Bill…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)The hon. Gentleman hits the nail on the head. There were unique circumstances where everything was going bankrupt, so strict action had to be taken. This Government are proposing,…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)If the Minister is seriously suggesting that a complete and wholesale reorganisation across the whole United Kingdom is the one answer to making sure that local government can…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Forgive me, Ms Vaz; as the Committee can see, I got rather carried away and I forgot to speak to new clause 24 in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)Well, the Minister should speak to the many council leaders across the country who do not agree that it is enough. If the Minister is seriously saying that abolishing 90% of…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Fine. I thank the Minister for her intervention, but the point I am about to make still applies: the people who currently serve have a stake. The people who send those people to…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)I agree entirely with the hon. Lady. As I have said before, she has the best interests of Stratford-on-Avon at heart. From her experience in local government, she knows the…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)I feel very reassured that the Government are following the excellent judgment of the last Conservative Government. On that note, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank the Minister for what she said. I absolutely knew what she was going to say—that comes as no surprise to us in the Opposition—but this is about what we discussed before.…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I have the scars on my back from fighting Liberal Democrats in my political career, but pragmatic policies are being proposed to improve the legislation that—let us face it—could…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)Forgive me, I apologise to the Committee if I misspoke. I meant that the hon. Member for Banbury spoke against an amendment that would have guaranteed that mayors would have to…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I will give way to the hon. Gentleman. Perhaps he will reform his ways.21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I will speak to amendment 358, in the name of the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon, and to new clause 41. I do not want to reiterate what I said previously, Dame Siobhain—your…21 Oct 2025