Letter from Westminster
December 5, 2005 3:39 PM
By Stephen Williams MP in Clifton Chronicle
By Stephen Williams MP in Clifton Chronicle
During the last three general elections I was asked many times what new law would I introduce. My consistent answer has been to bring in a major piece of preventative health legislation. My second choice has been to reform the voting system.
The biggest cause of early death is smoking. So the law that would have the greatest health benefit would be something that led to a reduction in smoking. A ban on smoking in public places is the obvious choice. There are limited opportunities for MPs who are not members of the government to change the law. Private members' Bills are usually debated once but are then given no more time. But they are a chance to give an issue an airing in Parliament. In July my name was drawn second in the ballot for Lib Dem MPs to present a "Ten Minute Rule Bill." I had to decide my topic.
I knew at that time that the government was planning its own anti smoking laws so it seemed pointless to have a parallel debate. So my second choice of voting reform gave me two good options - changing the system to proportional representation or lowering the voting age to 16. I thought the second more eye catching and knew that it had significant support among Labour MPs.
My debate day was set for 29 November and under the rules I would be able to introduce my proposal in a ten minute speech and then another MP could oppose for ten minutes. By coincidence the government selected the same day for the first debate on the Health Bill!
I wanted to show that lowering the voting age had support in the three main parties so my Bill had two named sponsors from the Conservatives and three Labour MPs, as well as some Lib Dem colleagues. The main reason for lowering the voting age is matching the significant rights and responsibilities sixteen year olds already possess with the ability to influence them in Parliament. Sixteen year olds can leave school, work, join the army, pay taxes and marry. My experience over many elections has been that sixteen and seventeen year olds ask intelligent and penetrating questions and are far more open minded than people fifty years older.
I was pleased with my speech and wasn't put off by the heckling of some Conservative MPs. Most Ten Minute Rule Bills aren't voted on, as it is known that they will go no further. But the Conservatives called for a division. In the end I lost by 128 to 136 votes. This was a clear signal that there is strong support for a change and I think reform will come in the near future.
I spoke briefly in the health debate that followed. But there will be many more opportunities during the detailed scrutiny of the Bill.
SOME THOUGHTS ON WIND ENERGY
The government is committed to reducing our greenhouse gases in order to combat climate change. We could all do our bit by reducing our home energy consumption and by using our cars less. But we should also generate more of our energy from renewable sources. These are mainly wind, wave and solar energy. Britain could generate more from all three but we are especially well placed for wind power. Our location at the edge of the Atlantic gives us more opportunity than our European neighbours for continuous generation. Yet Britain is an international laggard in utilising wind power. Denmark and northern Germany generate about a fifth of their electricity from wind turbines. Britain generates a paltry 2% share.
This is all the more distressing in Bristol as we have based in the city some world class expertise. Bristol companies help set up wind farms all over the world, as far away as Australia and China. So we have the potential and the expertise. All we lack is government will to make a difference on climate change. This must change!
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats