My Lords, I am very pleased to open this Second Reading debate on the Representation of the People Bill. Noble Lords across the House bring great experience of electoral law, electoral administration and the practical operation of our democracy. I look forward to the contributions that will be made today...

My Lords, I am very pleased to open this Second Reading debate on the Representation of the People Bill. Noble Lords across the House bring great experience of electoral law, electoral administration and the practical operation of our democracy. I look forward to the contributions that will be made today...

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 Amendment debated and withdrawn.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.

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 Amendment debated and withdrawn.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.

My Lords, it is an understatement to say that this is a constitutionally significant Bill. Particularly at a time when the political landscape is so turbulent, this is where your Lordships’ House proves its worth—with careful, considered scrutiny to improve the Government's legislation as best we can. Indeed, the amendment...

My Lords, it is an understatement to say that this is a constitutionally significant Bill. Particularly at a time when the political landscape is so turbulent, this is where your Lordships’ House proves its worth—with careful, considered scrutiny to improve the Government's legislation as best we can. Indeed, the amendment...

My Lords, in the light of the mega donations we have heard about to Reform in the past week, I start by emphasising the difference between liberal democracy and popular

democracy—or illiberal democracy, as Viktor Orbán and others call it. Liberal or constitutional democracy recognises that democratic processes are open...

My Lords, in the light of the mega donations we have heard about to Reform in the past week, I start by emphasising the difference between liberal democracy and popular

democracy—or illiberal democracy, as Viktor Orbán and others call it. Liberal or constitutional democracy recognises that democratic processes are open...

My Lords, I will focus my remarks on Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill, relating to election finance and to the work of the Electoral Commission.

In 2021, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, of which I was then chair, issued a report on the regulation of election finance....

My Lords, I will focus my remarks on Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill, relating to election finance and to the work of the Electoral Commission.

In 2021, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, of which I was then chair, issued a report on the regulation of election finance....

My Lords, this is an important and timely debate, as any opportunity to re-establish trust in politics is one that we must embrace eagerly. We are sadly familiar with the phrase, “A plague on both your houses”, used in a political context. The word “both” may be rather out of...

My Lords, this is an important and timely debate, as any opportunity to re-establish trust in politics is one that we must embrace eagerly. We are sadly familiar with the phrase, “A plague on both your houses”, used in a political context. The word “both” may be rather out of...

My Lords, it is a pleasure and an honour to follow the right reverend Prelate, and of course we all wish him well in his retirement. We will miss him, and his views on democracy are very well established. I agree with him in relation to prisoners, but that is...

My Lords, it is a pleasure and an honour to follow the right reverend Prelate, and of course we all wish him well in his retirement. We will miss him, and his views on democracy are very well established. I agree with him in relation to prisoners, but that is...

My Lords, I first add my best wishes to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Lichfield on his retirement and thank him for the contributions that he has made to this House. It has been said by other speakers, including the right reverend Prelate, that this is an important...

My Lords, I first add my best wishes to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Lichfield on his retirement and thank him for the contributions that he has made to this House. It has been said by other speakers, including the right reverend Prelate, that this is an important...

My Lords, I think Parliament is at its best when we can get up on both sides of the House and say we agree. In that context, we make much better laws. I welcome many measures

in the Bill, and my thanks go to Philip Rycroft for his excellent report...

My Lords, I think Parliament is at its best when we can get up on both sides of the House and say we agree. In that context, we make much better laws. I welcome many measures

in the Bill, and my thanks go to Philip Rycroft for his excellent report...

My Lords, I do not intend to enter into the rather heated waters of what, if anything, should be done about the allegedly huge sums of money put into our electoral process by individual donors or, indeed, by trade unions. I wish, rather, to concentrate on the sometimes tiny numbers...

My Lords, I do not intend to enter into the rather heated waters of what, if anything, should be done about the allegedly huge sums of money put into our electoral process by individual donors or, indeed, by trade unions. I wish, rather, to concentrate on the sometimes tiny numbers...

My Lords, the current controversy over massive donations from crypto billionaires to the limited company known as Reform is a disaster that has been waiting to happen and a danger to democracy. In 2000 the then Labour Government sought to end the party-spending arms race that had been giving an...

My Lords, the current controversy over massive donations from crypto billionaires to the limited company known as Reform is a disaster that has been waiting to happen and a danger to democracy. In 2000 the then Labour Government sought to end the party-spending arms race that had been giving an...

My Lords, I declare an interest as an unpaid member of the Transparency International advisory council.

There is much that is good about this Bill. We have seen welcome measures strengthening the Electoral Commission and electoral law and improving voter registration processes. However, I shall focus my remarks, as many previous...

My Lords, I declare an interest as an unpaid member of the Transparency International advisory council.

There is much that is good about this Bill. We have seen welcome measures strengthening the Electoral Commission and electoral law and improving voter registration processes. However, I shall focus my remarks, as many previous...

My Lords, my noble friend Lady May of Maidenhead spoke about the dangers of crypto assets hiding the identity of people making donations to political parties. It is a very important point and it does beg a question that I hope the Minister can answer later and perhaps bring more...

My Lords, my noble friend Lady May of Maidenhead spoke about the dangers of crypto assets hiding the identity of people making donations to political parties. It is a very important point and it does beg a question that I hope the Minister can answer later and perhaps bring more...

My Lords, it is a great privilege and a real pleasure to be the first to congratulate my noble friend on his powerful, eloquent

and witty speech. I should not be surprised, however. I have known him for decades. I kent his faither, as we say in Scotland. His father...

My Lords, it is a great privilege and a real pleasure to be the first to congratulate my noble friend on his powerful, eloquent

and witty speech. I should not be surprised, however. I have known him for decades. I kent his faither, as we say in Scotland. His father...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes. I join him in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh, on his maiden speech. I thank him for the research he put into it and, indeed, the way in which it was delivered.

I too want...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes. I join him in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh, on his maiden speech. I thank him for the research he put into it and, indeed, the way in which it was delivered.

I too want...

My Lords, I welcome the Representation of the People Bill and the Government’s determination to protect British democracy from any foreign or illicit interference. I support the Bill’s ambition to extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, having

joined the Wembley South Young Socialists when I was 17. I particularly...

My Lords, I welcome the Representation of the People Bill and the Government’s determination to protect British democracy from any foreign or illicit interference. I support the Bill’s ambition to extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, having

joined the Wembley South Young Socialists when I was 17. I particularly...

My Lords, I declare an interest: I have been advising the charity Spotlight on Corruption on these issues. This is a good Bill, in my view, and the Government deserve credit for it, but as ever the question is whether it goes far enough. The noble Lord, Lord Macintosh, in...

My Lords, I declare an interest: I have been advising the charity Spotlight on Corruption on these issues. This is a good Bill, in my view, and the Government deserve credit for it, but as ever the question is whether it goes far enough. The noble Lord, Lord Macintosh, in...

I begin by congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh of Eastwood, on his excellent maiden speech. To reassure him, I continue to get lost after four years, and I think most Members of this House do. The doorkeepers in the other place are very keen to tell us where to...

I begin by congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Macintosh of Eastwood, on his excellent maiden speech. To reassure him, I continue to get lost after four years, and I think most Members of this House do. The doorkeepers in the other place are very keen to tell us where to...

My Lords, I want to make one rather simple point about the Bill: we should keep big money out of politics. Over the weekend, we learned of the formerly Thailand-based Christopher Harborne’s £36 million, plus another £36 million from the late-of-Hong Kong Ben Delo, a man convicted over AML but...

My Lords, I want to make one rather simple point about the Bill: we should keep big money out of politics. Over the weekend, we learned of the formerly Thailand-based Christopher Harborne’s £36 million, plus another £36 million from the late-of-Hong Kong Ben Delo, a man convicted over AML but...

My Lords, this is a very wide-ranging Bill—almost too wide-ranging—but it has some sensible proposals on electoral administration. It also has a number of proposals for which, as other noble Lords have said, there will probably be unintended consequences, and we need to go into the detail.

I want to deal...

My Lords, this is a very wide-ranging Bill—almost too wide-ranging—but it has some sensible proposals on electoral administration. It also has a number of proposals for which, as other noble Lords have said, there will probably be unintended consequences, and we need to go into the detail.

I want to deal...