The Party conferences continue until 2nd October but earlier in September voting took place in Parliament for two Bills. Wednesday, the 4th of September was the Budget Responsibility Bill with two amendments listed as 2 and 9, Nusrat Ghani from Sussex Weald explained amendment 2 as

“(2A) In any case where the Office has acted in accordance with subsection (2), it may notify the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests of the circumstances in any case where it considers those circumstances may be relevant to— (a) the Ministerial Code, or (b) the functions of the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests.”

Amendment 9 was explained by the Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury) Nigel Huddleston from Droitwich and Evesham who states “(c) or any changes to the government’s fiscal targets.” Many comments formed the discussion before the voting occurred. Andrew Griffith the Arundel and South Downs MP spoke

“My hon. Friend is making a fantastic speech on the importance of being responsible with our public finances. Much of the Bill is concerned with responsibility and transparency. Does he know whether the Government published an impact assessment when they took away the winter fuel allowance?”

When voting took place, both amendments were rejected by Labour MPs including all six Sussex Labour MPs. Amendment 2 was endorsed by the Liberal Democrats including all of the Sussex Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru with no Conservative support. However, Amendment 9 was supported by the Conservative, including most of the Sussex Conservatives and several DUP’s. On Thursday 5th of September, a focused debate on the “Great British Energy Bill” with two amendments. The first amendment named “Great British Energy Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading” was endorsed by Conservatives including all of the Sussex Conservatives MPs and a DUP MP. Labour and Green MPs voted ‘No’ but Chris Ward, the Labour MP from Brighton Kemptown, did not vote at all. The second vote was “Great British Energy Bill: Second Reading” with Labour and Greens approving the amendment and the Conservatives and a DUP opposing. It was clear that the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru and SNPs did not vote for either of them! It was fascinating to read Nusrat Ghani’s ‘mini speech’ during the debate as she referred to how MPs need to follow the process of “bobbing”, meaning to ‘catch the eye of the Speaker’, during questions in Parliament. She said

“I thought I would offer some tips to colleagues in the Chamber. If you are bobbing, you will be called. If you are on the list, but are not bobbing, you are indicating to the Chair or the Speaker that you no longer wish to be called, so if you hope to be called, bob throughout the debate. If you are on the list and committed to bobbing, but leave the Chamber, you are indicating to the Chair or the Speaker that you no longer wish to be a priority on the list. However, you can speak to the Chair or the Speaker and ask permission to leave and return, and you will then remain where you were in the priority list. Unless Members stand, I do not know whether they wish to contribute to the debate, so who wishes to bob?”

Today is the third day of the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference here in Brighton with their final day tomorrow. Their conference describes

“Join us to catch-up with friends, participate in discussions, hear from the experts, vote on motions, ask questions, visit the exhibition and get world class training – there’s something for everyone.”

Hopefully next week we can read some of their words. Last weekend the Green Party had their Autumn Conference in Manchester and Paul Corry took the opportunity to make a speech in recognition of their recent achievements.

“We couldn’t celebrate the party’s success without offering our heartfelt thanks to the UK’s first ever Green MP – Caroline Lucas. A trail blazer whose integrity, grace, passion, intelligence and courage is the embodiment of a better politics.  Caroline, we stand on your shoulders, and we have learned so much from you. What ambition looks like, how to inspire others, and how to articulate a positive vision that fills people with hope. Your achievements are legendary and we will be paying tribute to them more fully a little later but for now, on behalf of all the new Green MPs, and everyone in our party – thank you.  So, it just leaves me to say my biggest thank you – thank you to everyone who is on this journey with us – in this room today and right across the country. Whether you were a first time Green voter or have voted Green every time you had the opportunity. Whether you knocked on hundreds of doors or chatted to your neighbours over the garden fence, or your family at Sunday lunch.  Whether this is your fiftieth conference, or your first – I’m told there are hundreds of you in the room joining us for the first time.  Whether you opened up your home and hosted an action day or just (just) opened up your hearts to our message of hope. Thank you. Together we can keep on making history, keep on doing politics better and keep on delivering a brighter, fairer future. The ambitious, positive, inspiring future you have all helped demonstrate it’s possible to choose. This is what real change looks like – it looks like you.”