PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES - United Kingdom Parliament

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1515 UK Elected Representatives 26 MARCH 2013 1516 (Disclosure of Party Membership) [Mr David Hanson] a real problem for our democracy, because the values that influence parties might well influence the electorate, and if those values are hidden, the electorate might vote blind on those issues. I have raised this issue with the Government and had hoped for a positive response. Sadly, the <strong>Parliament</strong>ary Secretary, Cabinet Office, the hon. Member for Norwich North (Miss Smith),has confirmed: “The Government has no plans to require those wishing to stand as independent candidates to disclose any political party membership they might hold at the time of nomination. It is for prospective candidates to decide whether they wish to stand independently or on behalf of a registered political party.”—[Official Report, 21 November 2012; Vol. 553, c. 498W.] That is a shame, but I hope that the Bill will be the start of a process that will shed light on this issue and allow the Government to come to a conclusion whereby independents will have to declare party membership if they hold it. My proposal would add transparency to our democracy and help ensure the public have the information they need to make an informed choice. It will not add undue stress or expense to the election procedure and could be done simply, without the need for a particularly big shake-up of electoral procedures. This small bit of information could go someway to ensuring that voters get what they think they are voting for, rather than for what they are actually voting for without realising it. My proposal would add one small, but important, dimension to the system. It would require that if someone stands as an independent, or under any label, without declaring a party membership, action would need to be taken. I propose that the election be declared void, the member disqualified and a by-election called. I ask for no further penalty than that. I simply ask that those individuals have the opportunity to face the electorate under their true colours. I believe that people should be public and proud about being members of the Labour party, and should not hide behind the banner of independence, if they hold a party membership. The Bill will provide some transparency. I am sure, as I have said, that there are examples across all parties, so I hope that this is not a party political point. I want transparency for all members. We should be proud of our democracy and how our elections operate. The suppression of such information is not good for our democratic system. I hope and believe that the House will share that view. I am pleased to have secured cross-party support from Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Labour Members, and I hope that nobody has anything to fear by it. I commend the motion to the House. 2.54 pm Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch) (Con): I had not intended to participate in this debate, but having heard the right hon. Member for Delyn (Mr Hanson), I am driven to speak against the motion. I seek not to divide the House, but to put down a marker that the Bill would not have unanimous support. It would be a regulatory Bill cutting across the tradition of independence, particularly in parish and town councils, where people should not have to declare their party allegiance. It is perfectly legitimate that somebody stands for election to a parish or town council on the basis that they are independent, even if they are a member of a political party. The Bill implies that people who belong to political parties belong only to one political party. I agree with the right hon. Gentleman’s argument, which he put forward strongly, about the Liberal Democrats being duplicitous—I have no quarrel with him on that—but let us think of students. You, Mr Speaker, were once a student. Many of them join three or more political parties at the freshers fare in order to see which has the most attractive membership. That is a perfectly legitimate objective for many people who join political parties. It would be very confusing to the electorate if one of those students was to declare that they were a member of four political parties. Where would that leave the electorate? Having heard what the right hon. Gentleman said and having not intended to participate in the debate, all I can say is that I wish him well with the Bill, but I shall be opposing it in due course. Question put and agreed to. Ordered That Mr David Hanson, Ian Lucas, John Cryer, Rosie Cooper, Wayne David, Angela Smith, Sir Bob Russell, Mr Philip Hollobone, Craig Whittaker, Mr Virendra Sharma, Andrew Gwynne and Karl Turner present the Bill. Mr David Hanson accordingly presented the Bill. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 3 May 2013, and to be printed (Bill 155). Business without Debate DELEGATED LEGISLATION Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order 118(6) and Order of 4 March), FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO INDUSTRY That this House authorises the Secretary of State to undertake to pay, and to pay by way of financial assistance under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982, in respect of the Start-Up Loans scheme, sums exceeding £10 million and up to a cumulative total of £15.5 million.—(Mr Swayne.) Question agreed to. Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order 118(6), TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT That the draft Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (Amendment) Order 2013, which was laid before this House on 24 January, be approved.—(Mr Swayne.) The House divided: Ayes 224, Noes 128. Division No. 200] Afriyie, Adam Aldous, Peter Amess, Mr David Andrew, Stuart Arbuthnot, rh Mr James Bacon, Mr Richard Baker, Norman AYES Baker, Steve Baldry, Sir Tony Baldwin, Harriett Baron, Mr John Beith, rh Sir Alan Bellingham, Mr Henry Benyon, Richard [2.58 pm
1517 Business without Debate 26 MARCH 2013 Business without Debate 1518 Berry, Jake Bingham, Andrew Binley, Mr Brian Blackman, Bob Blackwood, Nicola Blunt, Mr Crispin Boles, Nick Bone, Mr Peter Bottomley, Sir Peter Bradley, Karen Brady, Mr Graham Brake, rh Tom Bray, Angie Brazier, Mr Julian Bridgen, Andrew Brine, Steve Bruce, Fiona Burley, Mr Aidan Burns, Conor Burns, rh Mr Simon Burstow, rh Paul Byles, Dan Cairns, Alun Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Carmichael, Neil Cash, Mr William Chishti, Rehman Chope, Mr Christopher Clark, rh Greg Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey Coffey, Dr Thérèse Collins, Damian Colvile, Oliver Crabb, Stephen Crockart, Mike Crouch, Tracey Davies, David T. C. (Monmouth) Davies, Philip Doyle-Price, Jackie Ellis, Michael Ellison, Jane Elphicke, Charlie Eustice, George Evans, Graham Evans, Jonathan Evennett, Mr David Fabricant, Michael Fallon, rh Michael Featherstone, Lynne Field, Mark Foster, rh Mr Don Freeman, George Freer, Mike Gale, Sir Roger Garnier, Sir Edward Gauke, Mr David George, Andrew Gibb, Mr Nick Gilbert, Stephen Gillan, rh Mrs Cheryl Glen, John Goldsmith, Zac Goodwill, Mr Robert Graham, Richard Grant, Mrs Helen Gray, Mr James Grayling, rh Chris Green, rh Damian Grieve, rh Mr Dominic Griffiths, Andrew Gyimah, Mr Sam Hames, Duncan Hammond, rh Mr Philip Hammond, Stephen Hancock, Matthew Hands, Greg Harper, Mr Mark Harrington, Richard Harris, Rebecca Hart, Simon Harvey, Sir Nick Haselhurst, rh Sir Alan Hayes, Mr John Heald, Oliver Heath, Mr David Heaton-Harris, Chris Hemming, John Henderson, Gordon Hendry, Charles Hinds, Damian Hollobone, Mr Philip Hopkins, Kris Horwood, Martin Howell, John Hughes, rh Simon Huppert, Dr Julian Hurd, Mr Nick Jackson, Mr Stewart James, Margot Javid, Sajid Jenkin, Mr Bernard Johnson, Joseph Jones, Andrew Jones, Mr Marcus Kawczynski, Daniel Kirby, Simon Knight, rh Mr Greg Kwarteng, Kwasi Lamb, Norman Lansley, rh Mr Andrew Leadsom, Andrea Leech, Mr John Lefroy, Jeremy Leigh, Mr Edward Leslie, Charlotte Lewis, Brandon Lewis, Dr Julian Lidington, rh Mr David Lilley, rh Mr Peter Lloyd, Stephen Lord, Jonathan Luff, Peter Macleod, Mary Maude, rh Mr Francis May, rh Mrs Theresa Maynard, Paul McCartney, Jason McIntosh, Miss Anne McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick Mercer, Patrick Metcalfe, Stephen Mills, Nigel Mordaunt, Penny Morgan, Nicky Morris, James Mosley, Stephen Mowat, David Mulholland, Greg Munt, Tessa Murray, Sheryll Murrison, Dr Andrew Newton, Sarah Nuttall, Mr David Offord, Dr Matthew Ollerenshaw, Eric Paice, rh Sir James Parish, Neil Patel, Priti Paterson, rh Mr Owen Pawsey, Mark Penrose, John Percy, Andrew Perry, Claire Pickles, rh Mr Eric Pincher, Christopher Pugh, John Raab, Mr Dominic Randall, rh Mr John Reckless, Mark Rees-Mogg, Jacob Robathan, rh Mr Andrew Robertson, Mr Laurence Ruffley, Mr David Russell, Sir Bob Rutley, David Sandys, Laura Selous, Andrew Sharma, Alok Shelbrooke, Alec Simmonds, Mark Skidmore, Chris Smith, Miss Chloe Smith, Henry Smith, Julian Smith, Sir Robert Soames, rh Nicholas Spencer, Mr Mark Abrahams, Debbie Alexander, Heidi Ashworth, Jonathan Bain, Mr William Barron, rh Mr Kevin Bayley, Hugh Beckett, rh Margaret Begg, Dame Anne Benn, rh Hilary Benton, Mr Joe Blackman-Woods, Roberta Brennan, Kevin Brown, Lyn Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Brown, Mr Russell Campbell, Mr Alan Campbell, Mr Gregory Campbell, Mr Ronnie Chapman, Jenny Clark, Katy Connarty, Michael Cooper, Rosie Cooper, rh Yvette Corbyn, Jeremy Crausby, Mr David Creagh, Mary Creasy, Stella Cryer, John Cunningham, Alex Cunningham, Mr Jim Dakin, Nic Davidson, Mr Ian Docherty, Thomas Donaldson, rh Mr Jeffrey M. NOES Stevenson, John Stewart, Bob Stewart, Iain Stride, Mel Stunell, rh Andrew Sturdy, Julian Swayne, rh Mr Desmond Swire, rh Mr Hugo Syms, Mr Robert Thornton, Mike Tomlinson, Justin Truss, Elizabeth Turner, Mr Andrew Uppal, Paul Vara, Mr Shailesh Vickers, Martin Walker, Mr Robin Ward, Mr David Watkinson, Dame Angela Wharton, James Wheeler, Heather White, Chris Whittaker, Craig Whittingdale, Mr John Wiggin, Bill Willetts, rh Mr David Williams, Mr Mark Williamson, Gavin Wilson, Mr Rob Wright, Jeremy Young, rh Sir George Zahawi, Nadhim Tellers for the Ayes: Anne Milton and Mark Hunter Doyle, Gemma Durkan, Mark Eagle, Ms Angela Eagle, Maria Elliott, Julie Engel, Natascha Flello, Robert Flint, rh Caroline Flynn, Paul Fovargue, Yvonne Francis, Dr Hywel Gardiner, Barry Gilmore, Sheila Glass, Pat Glindon, Mrs Mary Hamilton, Mr David Hanson, rh Mr David Harman, rh Ms Harriet Healey, rh John Hendrick, Mark Hepburn, Mr Stephen Hillier, Meg Hilling, Julie Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Hopkins, Kelvin Howarth, rh Mr George Jamieson, Cathy Johnson, Diana Jones, Graham Jones, Mr Kevan Jones, Susan Elan Jowell, rh Dame Tessa Keeley, Barbara Khan, rh Sadiq
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