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Proceeding contribution from Thomas Docherty (Labour) in the House of Commons on Friday, 9 September 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill on Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill.


Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill

I apologise. It just goes to show the benefits of living in a United Kingdom; otherwise I would not be learning that geography lesson. Under that rule, the Speaker makes the decision. You would, Mr Deputy Speaker, pull me up if I followed the example of my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) and gave seven centuries' worth of history on the role of the Speaker and how it has changed—and, indeed, the excellent role of the Chairman of Ways and Means and how it has changed in the past 700 years. The Speaker's role is to be an impartial judge. To give a simple example, let us say for the sake of argument that Mr Murdo Fraser becomes leader of this new party. If he wants a name for a party that supports the Conservatives at that level, that backs Tory policies but is not officially Tory, I must counsel him that the title, ““Liberal Democrats””, has already been taken, so he will have to think of another one. If Mr Fraser's new party were to win 27 of the 51 or 52 seats that there will be in Scotland at the next general election, but thanks to the work of my right hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband), we were to sweep to power at the next general election, it might well be possible—


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
532 c682 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Jurisdiction Legislation Ministerial duties West Lothian question English votes for English laws
Legislation
Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk