Debate on bill on Monday, 14 September 2026, in the House of Lords, led by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage. The answering member was Baroness Finn.

Representation of the People Bill

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Lords motion that the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House and instruction on order of clauses to be taken. Amendment debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 859 cc970-1062
Session: 2026-27
Department: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Legislative stage: Second reading
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Related items: Representation of the People Bill 2024-26 to 2026-27. Brought from the Commons
Thursday, 3 September 2026
Bills
House of Lords
Proceeding contributions: Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | 859 cc971-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am very pleased to open this Second Reading debate on the Representation of the Peopl...; Baroness O'Neill of Bexley | 859 cc974-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is an understatement to say that this is a constitutionally significant Bill. Partic...; Lord Wallace of Saltaire | 859 cc977-980 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, in the light of the mega donations we have heard about to Reform in the past week, I st...; Lord Katz | 859 c980 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, before we move on, I wanted to highlight the five-minute advisory time limit for Back-B...; Lord Evans of Weardale | 859 cc980-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will focus my remarks on Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill, relating to election finance and ...; Bishop of Lichfield | 859 cc982-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this is an important and timely debate, as any opportunity to re-establish trust in pol...; Baroness Royall of Blaisdon | 859 cc983-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a pleasure and an honour to follow the right reverend Prelate, and of course we a...; Baroness May of Maidenhead | 859 cc984-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I first add my best wishes to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Lichfield on his...; Baroness Hodge of Barking | 859 cc985-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I think Parliament is at its best when we can get up on both sides of the House and say...; Lord Patten | 859 cc987-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I do not intend to enter into the rather heated waters of what, if anything, should be ...; Lord Rennard | 859 cc988-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the current controversy over massive donations from crypto billionaires to the limited ...; Lord Wills | 859 cc989-991 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare an interest as an unpaid member of the Transparency International advisory co...; Lord Brady of Altrincham | 859 cc990-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my noble friend Lady May of Maidenhead spoke about the dangers of crypto assets hiding ...; Lord Macintosh of Eastwood | 859 cc992-3 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Lord Speaker and Members across the Chamber for the warmth and generosity of their we...; Lord Foulkes of Cumnock | 859 cc993-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a great privilege and a real pleasure to be the first to congratulate my noble fr...; Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee | 859 cc995-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes. I join him in con...; Baroness Goudie | 859 cc996-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome the Representation of the People Bill and the Government’s determination to p...; Lord Carter of Haslemere | 859 cc998-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare an interest: I have been advising the charity Spotlight on Corruption on thes...; Lord Johnson of Lainston | 859 cc999-1001 (Link to this contribution)
I begin by congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh of Eastwood, on his excellent maiden spe...; Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town | 859 cc1001-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I want to make one rather simple point about the Bill: we should keep big money out of ...; Baroness Hoey | 859 cc1002-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this is a very wide-ranging Bill—almost too wide-ranging—but it has some sensible propo...; Baroness Leaman | 859 cc1004-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh of Eastwood, on his maiden s...; Lord Leigh of Hurley | 859 c1005 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, there is so much in this Bill to debate and take issue with, so it is a little disappoi...; Lord Wallace of Saltaire | 859 c1006 (Link to this contribution)
Do not forget Lloyd George.; Lord Leigh of Hurley | 859 cc1006-7 (Link to this contribution)
In fine tradition.
Before I carry on talking about donations, I must address the remarks by...; Lord Evans of Sealand | 859 cc1007-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I strongly support the Bill and many of the powerful contributions noble Lords have mad...; Baroness Morgan of Cotes | 859 cc1008-1010 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interest as a trustee of Democratys, a charity focused on educating the pu...; Baroness Paul of Shepherd's Bush | 859 cc1010-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, like others in this Chamber, I have had the honour of acting as an agent in both local ...; Lord Bailey of Paddington | 859 cc1011-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the Bill asks us to strengthen public confidence in democracy and tighten the rules gov...; Baroness Prashar | 859 cc1013-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will concentrate on two issues: the importance of civic and democratic education, par...; Baroness Thornhill | 859 cc1014-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my five minutes segue neatly and very nicely from what the noble Baroness, Lady Prashar...; Baroness Smith of Llanfaes | 859 cc1016-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, first, I welcome the Government’s decision to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year-ol...; Lord Hayward | 859 cc1017-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, before I turn to the Bill, I thank the Minister for the action that she has taken in re...; Lord Rooker | 859 cc1018-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, in the 1990s, when the Labour Party, via the Plant commission, looked at the age of vot...; Lord Mackinlay of Richborough | 859 cc1019-1020 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I had not anticipated to be on my feet quite so quickly. I have been watching proceedin...; Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle | 859 cc1020-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, in following the noble Lord, Lord Mackinlay, I make no apologies for returning to the s...; Lord Russell of Liverpool | 859 cc1021-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, there are many ways to describe the Bill. Top of my list at the moment is simply “timel...; Lord Jamieson | 859 cc1023-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, as usual I declare that I am a councillor in Central Bedfordshire. There are positive a...; Baroness Linforth | 859 cc1024-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will address my remarks to the provisions of the Bill that aim to improve voter parti...; Lord Sahota | 859 cc1025-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome this Bill because the integrity of our democracy is increasingly under threat...; Lord Udny-Lister | 859 cc1026-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my starting point is very simple. The minimum voting age should match the minimum age f...; Baroness Lister of Burtersett | 859 cc1027-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome this Bill, which should help strengthen our democracy at a time when it is un...; Baroness Pinnock | 859 cc1029-1030 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness. As I was re-elected as a councillor in M...; Lord Sikka | 859 cc1030-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this Bill does not end the power of the rich to hijack democracy. Corporations and the ...; Lord Fuller | 859 cc1031-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sikka, though I must say I think...; Viscount Stansgate | 859 cc1032-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am very pleased to make a short contribution to this debate. I begin by congratulatin...; Baroness Deech | 859 cc1034-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the Bill is concerned with fair voting and its extension. Why, then, are Peers—us—still...; Lord Farmer | 859 cc1036-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I was sad to hear from the right reverend Prelate that this was his last contribution i...; Lord Watson of Invergowrie | 859 cc1037-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Macintosh on his maiden speech, even though I was u...; Lord Norton of Louth | 859 cc1038-1040 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, for reasons of time, I wish to advance two proposals that can also be read across to ot...; Lord Teverson | 859 cc1040-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, back in 1970, I was very grateful that I had been born in March, because the 1970 gener...; Lord Markham | 859 cc1041-2 (Link to this contribution)
There have been over four hours of debate at this stage, with many views, and I shall speak brief...; Lord Janvrin | 859 cc1042-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I find myself in agreement with the introductory two points from the noble Lord, Lord M...; Bishop of Hereford | 859 cc1043-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I join a number of noble Lords who have raised the issue of deepfakes in electoral camp...; Lord Shamash | 859 cc1044-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, first of all I congratulate my noble friend Lord Macintosh on his maiden speech. I also...; Lord Young of Acton | 859 cc1045-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare an interest as the director of the Free Speech Union.
The noble Lord, L...; Lord Pack | 859 cc1047-1050 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I too thank the Minister for opening such a long and detailed debate, one that has show...; Baroness Finn | 859 cc1050-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this has been a long and thoughtful debate. I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Macinto...; Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | 859 cc1051-1060 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to what has been a thoughtful, wi...; Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | 859 c1060 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage; Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | 859 c1060 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move.
Amendment to the Motion; Lord Rooker | 859 c1060 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Rooker; Lord Rooker | 859 cc1060-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I spoke for less than a minute on Second Reading and therefore I did not have an opport...; Lord Hayward | 859 c1061 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I strongly support what the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, has just said. He has identified a...; Lord Pack | 859 c1061 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, conscious of the time, I will very briefly say only that I fully agree with both noble ...; Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | 859 c1062 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the amendment that my noble friend has tabled seeks information on the amendments debat...; Lord Rooker | 859 c1062 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to my noble friend, but let us get this absolutely clear: the Committee in the Comm...
Subjects: Education Access Disability Disclosure of information Candidates Absent voting British nationals abroad Campaigns Finance Elections Donors Expenditure Intimidation Electoral Commission Electoral register Harassment Internet Political parties Proof of identity Polling stations Young people Voting rights Artificial intelligence Subversion Disinformation Cryptoassets Information sharing Think tanks Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics Independent Review
Legislation: Representation of the People Bill 2024-26 to 2026-27
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Representation of the People Bill

Secondary information

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