One significant Parliament theme when it closes down for the holidays are the Early Day Motions (EDM) which are petitions endorsed by MPs who are not members of the Government. There is a mix of views amongst MP’s and political commentators about EDM’s. Ben Bradshaw the Labour MP for Exeter expresses

“I regularly get requests from constituents for me to sign what are called Early Day Motions (EDMs) of the House of Commons. I write back explaining why I don’t sign EDMs. This is what I say: There are a number of reasons why I don’t sign EDMs. The main one, as I have already said, is that they have no effect and there are numerous other ways which are effective in which I can raise an issue or lobby the Government. Many MP’s sign EDMs, I’m afraid, because it requires no effort and it gets the lobby group, charity or individual who is urging them to do so “off their backs”. Signing EDMs has become a displacement activity for doing something useful like writing personally to the Minister, raising the issue in questions or debates in Parliament, applying for a debate, tabling amendments to Bills etc – all of which require much more time and effort. Over the years a whole industry has grown up around EDMs with lobbyists and organisations encouraging members of the public to urge their MPs to sign them and judging their success/justifying their existence by how many do so. The tax payer also picks up a substantial bill for the cost of processing the hundreds of EDMs tabled’’.

Other MP’s and commentators suggest EDMS are useful for gathering support from different politicians about an issue but not particularly good for influencing policy changes. Some think amendments are necessary.

During this period of Parliament closure there have been 193 EDM’s, the largest obtaining 95 signatures published by Conservative MP William Wragg from Hazel Grove, Manchester, “No confidence in the Speaker” on 21st February. Sally-Ann Hart signed it and until then had never signed any. Four Conservatives have now withdrawn. Ninety-one signatures remain and including Sally-Ann 43 are Conservatives, 42 Scottish National Party (SNPs) 3 Plaid Cymru and 3 Independent MPs.

Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent Central London proposed an EDM entitled “Alleged comments by Frank Hester” a Conservative party member on 11^th March with 69 signatures.  Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion together with 33 Labour MP’s, 15 SNPs, 10 Liberal Democrats, 3 Plaid Cymru, and 1 Conservative MP signed.

The third largest item was published by William Wragg entitled “Referral of matters of 21 February 2024 to the Committee” obtaining 55 signatures on the 26th March. Twelve Conservatives including Sally-Ann the only other item she has signed so far. Also signing were Liz Saville Roberts from Plaid Cymru and forty-two SNP members.

Another 33 EDM’s have more than 14 signatures during this period and a further ten have 14 signatures including two that have been created by Caroline Lucas the only Sussex MP. Her first one was published on 23rd February entitled “Sanctions against Russia”, endorsed by 6 Labour MP’s, 4 SNP and 3 MPs from Plaid Cymru.

“This House notes that it has been two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and welcomes the existing sanctions against Russia, including those in relation to the sale of oil; further notes that, under the existing sanctions regime, the legal country-of-origin for a refined oil product, namely diesel, jet fuel or petrol, is considered to be the country in which it was refined from crude oil to a refined product; is concerned that this loophole means it remains legal to import fuels made using Russian crude, provided they have been refined elsewhere; is further concerned that in the 12 months since 5 December 2022 when the crude oil embargo was enforced, the loophole was worth £141 million to the Kremlin in direct tax revenues and that, in the summer of 2023, one in every 20 UK flights ran on jet fuel derived from Russian oil; welcomes moves in the US to close a similar refining loophole; supports the Government’s policy of imposing measures to weaken Russia’s economic and financial ability to wage war against the people of Ukraine; and therefore calls on the Government to take immediate steps to extend the current import ban to include refined petroleum products from any refinery that has processed Russian crude oil.”

Her second EDM published on the 13th March, entitled “Palestinians and the Researchers at Risk scheme” obtaining 6 SNP, 3 Plaid Cymru, 3 independents and 2 Labour MPs signatures. Caroline signed 29 other EDM’s endorsed by 20 Labour MP’s, 3 Lib Dem, 4 SNP, 1 Plaid Cymru and 1 Independent MP.  

Lloyd Russell-Moyle has signed five EDMs with support from four Labour MP’s, one Independent and four by Caroline Lucas. Peter Bottomley, the conservative MP for Worthing, signed an EDM “Neurodiversity Celebration Week” submitted by a SNP MP and endorsed by Caroline.

Sussex MPs who have previously signed EDMs but who are now members of the Government are Maria Caulfield, Mims Davies, Gillian Keegan. Also, Nick Gibb, Tim Loughton, Henry Smith and Peter Kyle.  Three Ministers who have never signed any EDM’s Nusrat Ghani, Andrew Griffith and Huw Merriman. Two Sussex Conservative MPs that have not signed include Caroline Ansell and Jeremy Quin. It will be interesting to see if Government will endorse these important viewpoints on their return.