City of London (Ward Elections) Bill (By Order) — 24 Feb 1999

Order for Second Reading read.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Many things in the City of London have a very long history. The local electoral system dealt with in the Bill is certainly one of them. In recent times, the shortcomings of the system have been the subject of some criticism--shortcomings that have been recognised by the City corporation itself.

Dealing with those shortcomings legislatively has, however, been less straightforward, but it is what the corporation seeks to do in the measure. It does so in the context that none of the political parties now has a policy of abolishing the corporation, so the issue is one of reform and of how the City's various interests may be more evenly represented.

Although the Bill is corrective in nature, it would be quite wrong to infer that local government in the City has failed to work. The reverse is the case. The common council, which discharges the local authority functions in the City, is widely credited for its innovative activities. Indeed, one of the foundations of the success of the City as the leading international financial centre is the support that is given by its own dedicated local authority, to which the present Prime Minister testified in a lecture in the City in September 1996.

The corporation's support for democratic rights also has a long history. This speech is not the occasion for that trawl through history, but it is perhaps worth recalling that the passage of the Great Reform Bill of 1832 through the House followed strident petitions to Parliament from the City civic urging those reforms.

The last royal commission on London local government, which sat for three years between 1957 and 1960--perhaps I should declare an interest and say that it

24 Feb 1999 : Column 450

was appointed by my father--recognised the distinct nature of local government in the City, and recommended its retention.

That was 110 years ago--the man who asked the question was my grandfather. Alas, I did not know him--he died before I was born. However, he would turn in his grave if I did not speak on the matter to which he devoted his life.

Question, That the Question be now put, put and agreed to.

Question put accordingly, That the Bill be now read a Second time:--

The House divided: Ayes 198, Noes 91.

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (Aye)Minority (No)BothTurnout
Con74 (+2 tell) 0046.9%
Independent0 10100.0%
Independent Labour1 00100.0%
Lab94 85 (+2 tell)143.6%
LDem25 2058.7%
PC1 0025.0%
UUP2 2040.0%
Total:197 90145.6%

Rebel Voters - sorted by constituency

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
Mr Malcolm SavidgeAberdeen NorthLabno
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLabno
Michael ClaphamBarnsley West and PenistoneLabno
Mr Joe AshtonBassetlawLabno
Mike WoodBatley and SpenLabno
Martin LintonBatterseaLabno
Lynne JonesBirmingham, Selly OakLabno
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
Mr John McWilliamBlaydonLabno
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLab (minister)no
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLabno
David CrausbyBolton North EastLab (minister)no
Brian IddonBolton South EastLabno
Marsha SinghBradford WestLabno
Mr Alan HurstBraintreeLabno
David LepperBrighton, PavilionLabno
Doug NaysmithBristol North WestLabno
Mr Peter PikeBurnleyLabno
Janet DeanBurtonLabno
Mrs Christine ButlerCastle PointLabno
Jonathan R ShawChatham and AylesfordLabno
Mr Tony BennChesterfieldLabno
Mr Gerry SteinbergCity of DurhamLabno
Jimmy HoodClydesdaleLab (minister)no
Mr Andrew BennettDenton and ReddishLabno
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLabno
John McAllionDundee EastLabno
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)tellno
John CummingsEasingtonLabno
Ian StewartEcclesLabno
Andrew LoveEdmontonLab (minister)no
Michael ConnartyFalkirk EastLab (minister)no
Mr Jimmy WrayGlasgow BailliestonLabno
Mr John MaxtonGlasgow CathcartLabno
George GallowayGlasgow KelvinLabno
Mrs Maria FyfeGlasgow MaryhillLabno
Ian DavidsonGlasgow PollokLab (minister)no
David MarshallGlasgow ShettlestonLabno
Anthony D WrightGreat YarmouthLabno
Dr Norman GodmanGreenock and InverclydeLabno
Mr Iain ColemanHammersmith and FulhamLabno
John Martin McDonnellHayes and HarlingtonLabno
Tom LevittHigh PeakLabno
John CryerHornchurchLabtellno
Fraser KempHoughton and Washington EastLabno
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLabno
Mr Jamie CannIpswichLabno
Jeremy CorbynIslington NorthLabno
Ann CryerKeighleyLabno
Roger BerryKingswoodLabno
Mr Hilton DawsonLancaster and WyreLabno
Mr Harold BestLeeds North WestLabno
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLabno
Mr Tam DalyellLinlithgowLabno
Robert WareingLiverpool, West DerbyLabno
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLabno
Robert Marshall-AndrewsMedwayLabno
Mrs Llin GoldingNewcastle-under-LymeLabno
Mr Harry BarnesNorth East DerbyshireLabno
David TaylorNorth West LeicestershireLabno
Mr Tony ClarkeNorthampton SouthLabno
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLabno
John HeppellNottingham EastLabno
Alan SimpsonNottingham SouthLabno
Mrs Irene AdamsPaisley NorthLab (minister)no
Gordon PrenticePendleLabno
Martin SalterReading WestLabno
Karen BuckRegent's Park and Kensington NorthLab (minister)no
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)no
Mr Bill MichieSheffield, HeeleyLabno
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)no
Dr David ClarkSouth ShieldsLabno
Alan WhiteheadSouthampton, TestLab (minister)no
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)no
Mr Gerry BerminghamSt Helens SouthLabno
David KidneyStaffordLabno
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLabno
Frank CookStockton NorthLabno
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)no
Mr George StevensonStoke-on-Trent SouthLabno
Bill EtheringtonSunderland NorthLabno
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLabno
Mr Peter BradleyThe WrekinLabno
Andrew MacKinlayThurrockLabno
Mr David HinchliffeWakefieldLabboth
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLabno
Mr Paul StinchcombeWellingboroughLabno
Mr Colin PickthallWest LancashireLabno

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