Labour MPs secure majority of slots to introduce private members’ bills

Labour has secured 15 out of 20 private members’ bills spots in the House of Commons, leaving the Conservatives with none.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP for Spen Valley, has the first opportunity to table a draft law of her choosing, after a draw on Thursday morning.

Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson has the second opportunity, and told the PA news agency that the ballot “might be the first raffle I’ve ever won”.

Also among the first seven MPs to be drawn, and who are therefore guaranteed a day’s debate, were Labour’s former shadow defence secretary Clive Lewis and the Traditional Unionist Voice’s sole MP Jim Allister.

Random draw

A total of 458 MPs entered this session’s random draw in a bid to secure time on a sitting Friday to debate and progress a proposal from the opposition or backbenches.

Mr Lewis, who has been an MP since 2015 and was fourth out of 20, said: “That’s the first time I have come anywhere near the top.”

He suggested bringing water infrastructure into public ownership is among his ideas, but added: “There’s a couple of other options around climate and nature as well.

“I’m going to sit down with my team and go through what the options are.”

Mr Lewis said tabling a private member’s bill is a strong “platform to showcase something you are passionate about and getting the Government to move on”.

Mr Wilkinson, the MP for Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and one of four Liberal Democrats to secure one of the 20 slots, said: “This might be the first raffle I’ve ever won, and will no doubt be the most important.

“Now is the time for a serious and constructive opposition in Parliament, and I will be taking this process very seriously and giving it a lot of thought.

“The people of Cheltenham deserve a strong voice standing up for their concerns in Parliament, and this is a perfect opportunity to do so.”

Mr Allister, who represents North Antrim, was the only MP from Northern Ireland to secure a position at the ballot.

Four Scottish MPs were drawn, along with two from Wales.

The Chairman of Ways and Means, Nus Ghani, the most senior deputy speaker in the Commons, drew the numbers, which were matched with MPs names.

Pointing to a glass bowl filled with numbered balls, Ms Ghani said: “This is the most transparent way, as you can see.”

She also commented during the draw that “new MPs are having a very lucky streak”.

The 20 MPs, in order of priority, are:

1 – Kim Leadbeater (Labour, Spen Valley)

2 – Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrats, Cheltenham)

3 – Roz Savage (Liberal Democrats, South Cotswolds)

4 – Clive Lewis (Labour, Norwich South)

5 – Josh MacAlister (Labour, Whitehaven and Workington)

6 – Scott Arthur (Labour, Edinburgh South West)

7 – Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

8 – Peter Lamb (Labour, Crawley)

9 – Andrew Ranger (Labour, Wrexham)

10 – Alex McIntyre (Labour, Gloucester)

11 – Jake Richards (Labour, Rother Valley)

12 – Tracy Gilbert (Labour, Edinburgh North and Leith)

13 – Linsey Farnsworth (Labour, Amber Valley)

14 – John Grady (Labour, Glasgow East)

15 – Rachael Maskell (Labour, York Central)

16 – Ruth Jones (Labour, Newport West and Islwyn)

17 – Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrats, Winchester)

18 – Sarah Owen (Labour, Luton North)

19 – Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrats, North East Fife)

20 – Rupa Huq (Labour, Ealing Central and Acton)