Political Parties, Elections and Referendums

If that were true, it would be a serious matter, but I must say to the hon. Gentleman—for whom I ...

rose—

It is important to underpin, rather than undermine, the work of the commission by standing should...

I am a member of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, and we warned in...

The right hon. Gentleman helpfully takes me to the next part of my remarks about “should”, “would...

Will the Minister answer my question?

If the right hon. Gentleman will be a little patient, he will have his question answered. He asks...

I am listening to the Minister reading out a list of the things that the commission is obliged to...

The hon. Gentleman was obviously so busy trying to find his rebuttal point that he did not listen...

rose—

And at the very mention of noble aims, I give way to the right hon. Member for Hayes and Harlingt...

I come back to the fact that this statement in effect sets priorities for the commission, and tha...

I just do not see that happening, because the commission understands the importance of the statem...

The Minister is doing a commendable job, given that he has clearly inherited a piece of legislati...

Nothing. If the hon. Gentleman is looking for that, then he has completely misunderstood the purp...

rose—

This is a benign statement, supporting the commission in its work, addressing the changes introdu...

I call the shadow Minister.

3.2 pm

I thank the Minister for his introduction. I have a lot of respect for the Minister, but I strugg...

Order. The hon. Lady is making a powerful speech, but I beg of her, would she please call the Min...

Thank you for highlighting that, Madam Deputy Speaker. I totally agree with you; I will refer to ...

I rise to make a short contribution to the debate. I welcome the work that has been done on the p...

rose—

I am happy to give way to the Chair of the Select Committee.

Does the hon. Lady not accept that comparing this with other regulators is profoundly confusing? ...

I am grateful to the hon. Member for making that point. Let me say in a respectful tone of voice ...

I call the SNP spokesman.

3.17 pm

It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith), not least becau...

This debate has to finish at 4.13 pm. I ask colleagues to be aware of that. There are five more s...

I am speaking today as Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee and a member ...

It goes back to the question that I put to the Minister. If other regulators fail to abide by the...

Absolutely. No consequences are laid out for what will happen if the statement is not followed by...

I wonder whether it is worse than that. Regulators should be removed if they are found to be inco...

Yes, perhaps the Government ought to pay more attention to those problems rather than to one that...

rose—

I think the Minister is going to help us with that.

I politely ask the Chair of the Select Committee where in my remarks opening the debate I talked ...

The Minister’s right hon. friend the Member for Norwich North raised it, and she was the Minister...

Order.

I am sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am just trying to encourage the Minister to be helpful to us....

rose—

Is the Minister now going to be helpful?

I am trying to be helpful. Read Hansard. I have answered the hon. Gentleman’s question three time...

The Minister is clearly trying to be helpful but not succeeding.

In the end, it comes back ...

It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield South East (Mr Betts). I assoc...

It is a privilege to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (Cat Smith), wh...

I should say from the off that I would not allege that the Government want to achieve something u...

The Minister is better than this motion—let us all agree on that. Like the SNP spokesperson, the ...

Order. The hon. Lady talked about corruption in Government. I want her to withdraw that; she need...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I withdraw the statement that the Government are corrupt, or tha...

First, I thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions this afternoon. To address...

Will the Minister give way?

I hope the hon. Gentleman will forgive me, but I will not, because the House has a lot of busines...

I thank the Minister for giving way this time. I wish to object in that the Minister is very much...

I heard the hon. Lady very clearly say that in principle she was opposed to overseas voters. If I...

The Minister rather misportrayed what I just said. I said that this statement either seeks to cha...

The point, as I have consistently said, is to augment and buttress the work of the commission, an...