Ballot could lead to big change
BACKBENCH MPS will have the chance to make their mark on the law if they are successful in Thursday’s private members’ bill ballot.
Private members’ bills are public bills introduced by MPS who are not government ministers. Any MP can propose a bill, but in practice their proposals have little chance of becoming law because there is unlikely to be time in Parliament to debate them fully – with one exception. That’s the MP who wins this ballot.
Time is provided for their bill to be discussed, so it has a real chance of going through the process of becoming a law.
Some North East MPS, including Easington MP Grahame Morris and Jarrow MP Kate Osborne, have already made it clear that they hope to introduce laws banning the practice of firing staff and then rehiring them on worse contracts, for example with lower pay or less holiday entitlement.
Now, 20 numbered ballot balls will be drawn by the Chairman of Ways and Means, MP Dame Eleanor Laing, with the names of the successful MPS read out.
The draw takes place in reverse order, meaning the last MP to be called will get the coveted place at the top of the ballot.