Memorandum from Dr Sarah Childs, Senior
Lecturer in Politics, University of Bristol (P 51 (Session 2005-06))[1]
Despite their reputation as "parliamentary
graffiti", EDMs continue to represent a means by which MPs
can voice, and garner support for, their concerns/interests. This
is an important interest articulation role, not least in that
tabling and signing EDMs are less constrained by party loyalty
than other parliamentary activity. EDMs also offer an opportunity
to transform the political agenda by raising concerns that otherwise
might not be raised in the House. For example, the series of EDMs
addressing Mike Tyson boxing in Scotland. Furthermore, an MP who
garners a large number of signatures can be confident that the
issue has wider support. This can be important psychologically
for the MP who tabled the issue and symbolically and substantively
in arguing for the point within parliament, government and in
the public domain. Chris McCafferty was able, for example, when
making the case for the reduction of VAT on sanitary products,
to state that the EDMs were widely supported on the backbenches.
She was also able to use the EDMs when she raised the issue in
the media. Indeed, although it is hard to demonstrate systematically
that particular EDMs directly influence policy, it is the case
that some do, not least by placing an issue onto the mainstream
agenda or signalling backbench dissent. EDMs can also raise public
awareness of particular issues through press releases and subsequent
media coverage.
There are however a number of issues of concern
as EDMs currently stand. First, there is a tendency for some EDMs
to be light-hearted, "state the obvious" or congratulate
one particular football team over another. Perhaps there could
be stricter guidelines. Second, is the formal requirement over
how EDMs must be constructed. This, at times, can place form over
clarity. Third, is the issue of who actually signs the EDMs. It
is often suggested that eager interns sign the EDMs that they
think their MP would wish to sign. Electronic signing might improve
this.
The proposal to allow electronic signing might
also have the effect of increasing the number of signatures per
EDM. It is not clear whether this would equalize signatures between
EDMs nor whether it would still be possible to distinguish between
popular and less popular motions—although whether this is
a valid concern would be contested. A trial period of electronic
signing might be advisable in this respect. Electronic signing
would also maximise MPs opportunities to sign EDMs and enable
EDMs to be continuously "printed" on a website which
would no longer cause some MPs to hold back their signing to ensure
that the EDM is reprinted.
The suggestion that EDMs, or at least some of
them—perhaps the most popular or those that are selected
by lot, but not those congratulating Arsenal or Man Utd—should
be debated is a good one. However, it would be important to ensure
that EDM debates were not at the expense of other means by which
backbench MPs can raise issues—Westminster Hall, Private
Members' Bills. MPs complain about an overburdened parliamentary
timetable, as it is.
February 2006
1 Childs, Sarah and Withey, Julie (2006) "The
Substantive Representation of Women: Reducing the VAT on Sanitary
Products in the UK", Parliamentary Affairs, 2006,
59, 1. Childs, Sarah and Withey, Julie (2004) "Women Representatives
Acting for Women: Sex and the Signing of Early Day Motions in
the 1997 British Parliament", Political Studies, 2004,
52, 3: 552-564. Back
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