In the latest parliamentary lottery for Private Members’ Bills, Conservative MPs failed to secure any spots among the top 20 picks. This annual lottery, held at the beginning of each parliamentary session, provides MPs not in government with an opportunity to propose new legislation or spotlight important issues.
The draw, which took place recently, saw a dominant presence from Labour MPs, who secured 15 of the available spots. Four places went to Liberal Democrats, and one was awarded to Jim Allister from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). The Conservatives, facing a significant reduction in their numbers from 365 to 121 following the last general election, did not feature prominently in this year’s draw.
Out of 458 MPs who entered the ballot by drawing a number from a white lottery ball, the draw was conducted by Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant of the House of Commons, who was clad in white gloves and a black jacket. The numbers were announced by Nusrat Ghani, Chairman of Ways and Means.
The 20 MPs selected in this year’s lottery include:
Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley
Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham
Dr. Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds
Clive Lewis, Labour MP for Norwich South
Josh MacAlister, Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington
Dr. Scott Arthur, Labour MP for Edinburgh South West
Jim Allister, Traditional Unionist Voice MP for North Antrim
Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley
Alex McIntyre, Labour MP for Gloucester
Andrew Ranger, Labour MP for Wrexham
Jake Richards, Labour MP for Rother Valley
Tracy Gilbert, Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith
Linsey Farnsworth, Labour MP for Amber Valley
John Grady, Labour MP for Glasgow East
Rachael Maskell, Labour (Co-op) MP for York Central
Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West and Islwyn
Dr. Danny Chambers, Liberal Democrat MP for Winchester
Sarah Owen, Labour MP for Luton North
Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrats MP for North East Fife
Dr. Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton
The MPs now have six weeks to formulate their Bill proposals before presenting them to the Commons on October 16th. Those drawn earlier in the lottery are more likely to secure debate time in the House of Commons, with the top seven having the best chance for extended discussion.
Kim Leadbeater, who topped the ballot, could be tasked with leading potentially controversial legislation through Parliament. This approach allows Labour to handle contentious issues through backbench MPs, maintaining a degree of political distance.
Labour’s Jake Richards, who placed 11th, has already indicated a preference for a Bill on assisted dying laws, emphasizing that “the time has come” for reform.
Private Members’ Bills are typically debated on 13 Fridays each parliamentary session, taking precedence over government business. Last year’s ballot saw eight Conservative MPs among the selected, contrasted with this year’s lack of Conservative picks. The previous year had Conservatives leading with 11 picks compared to Labour’s six, highlighting a notable shift in parliamentary influence.