This Commons Library Briefing Paper considers the 2017-19 minority Government and the agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party.

This Commons Library Briefing Paper considers the 2017-19 minority Government and the agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party.

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the responses by Earl Howe on 29 January (HL Deb, col 1438) and 12 February (HL Deb, col 2264) and reports that they have changed their public position as to whether there have been successful examples of Russian disinformation affecting elections in the UK,...

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the responses by Earl Howe on 29 January (HL Deb, col 1438) and 12 February (HL Deb, col 2264) and reports that they have changed their public position as to whether there have been successful examples of Russian disinformation affecting elections in the UK,...

According to the Salisbury Convention, the House of Lords gives a second reading to government bills that seek to implement manifesto commitments, does not subject manifesto bills to wrecking amendments and returns manifesto bills to the Commons in reasonable time. This House of Lords Library Briefing examines the development of the convention and looks at the debates on how it applied after the 2010 and 2017 general elections, which both produced a hung parliament.

According to the Salisbury Convention, the House of Lords gives a second reading to government bills that seek to implement manifesto commitments, does not subject manifesto bills to wrecking amendments and returns manifesto bills to the Commons in reasonable time. This House of Lords Library Briefing examines the development of...

This House of Lords Library Briefing is the result of an initiative by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology to foster collaborative work between academics and Parliament. As part of this scheme, the House of Lords Library hosted Dr Ruth Dixon of the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, to explore the impact of the House of Lords, focusing on the chamber’s legislative role. In this briefing, Dr Dixon describes how she used her novel methodology to analyse amendments to government legislation in the most recent completed parliamentary session, 2016–17. This analysis is followed by two case studies which explore interactions between the Government and legislators during the same session. The first outlines the response of Parliament in April 2017 to the unexpected announcement of a general election. The second analyses the fate of part of the Children and Social Work Act 2017: clauses that were intended to allow local authorities to apply to be exempted from statutory provisions in children’s social care. Overall Dr Dixon concludes that the impact of the House of Lords is relatively subtle. In order to influence policy through legislation, Members must not only gather cross-party support within the chamber, they must also gain the support of the Commons. Her analysis shows various ways in which this is achieved.

This House of Lords Library Briefing is the result of an initiative by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology to foster collaborative work between academics and Parliament. As part of this scheme, the House of Lords Library hosted Dr Ruth Dixon of the Blavatnik School of Government, University of...

A Westminster Hall debate on Intimidation in public life, initiated by Simon Hart MP, has been scheduled for Tuesday 21 May 2019 at 2.30pm.

A Westminster Hall debate on Intimidation in public life, initiated by Simon Hart MP, has been scheduled for Tuesday 21 May 2019 at 2.30pm.

This briefing paper contains detailed results and analysis of the 2017 General Election, held on 8th June. It provides election results by party & constituency, as well as analysis of voter trends, MP characteristics, and more.

This briefing paper contains detailed results and analysis of the 2017 General Election, held on 8th June. It provides election results by party & constituency, as well as analysis of voter trends, MP characteristics, and more.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of returning officers spent in excess of their maximum recoverable amount at the 2017 general election.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of returning officers spent in excess of their maximum recoverable amount at the 2017 general election.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to contact Returning Officers responsible for the General Election in 2017 in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland, to ask how many tendered ballot papers were issued as a result of people turning up to a polling station to...

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to contact Returning Officers responsible for the General Election in 2017 in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland, to ask how many tendered ballot papers were issued as a result of people turning up to a polling station to...

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the status is of the Electoral Commission investigation into the activities of Momentum during the 2017 General Election campaign.

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the status is of the Electoral Commission investigation into the activities of Momentum during the 2017 General Election campaign.

Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. I am sure that the Prime Minister will be aware of the events that happened in the Gower constituency during last year’s election, where the Labour activist Dan Evans has admitted spreading lies and libellous accusations against our former colleague, Byron Davies, in order to influence the outcome of the election. It appears that his efforts worked. Does the Prime Minister believe that the leadership of the Labour party needs to make it very clear that our democracy has no place for this sort of behaviour? Does she believe that the honourable thing would be for the new incumbent of that seat to resign and fight a free and honest by-election?

Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. I am sure that the Prime Minister will be aware of the events that happened in the Gower constituency during last year’s election, where the Labour activist Dan Evans has admitted spreading lies and libellous accusations against our former colleague, Byron Davies, in order to influence the outcome of the election. It appears that his efforts worked. Does the Prime Minister believe that the leadership of the Labour party needs to make it very clear that our democracy has no place for this sort of behaviour? Does she believe that the honourable thing would be for the new incumbent of that seat to resign and fight a free and honest by-election?

Of course, our former colleague Byron Davies has received an apology, and I understand that a donation has been made to charity. Of course, our former colleague lost his job as a result of the action that was taken. People across the House talk of free and fair elections—that is what we believe in as a democracy—but political parties need not just to talk about free and fair elections; they need to ensure they put it into practice.

Of course, our former colleague Byron Davies has received an apology, and I understand that a donation has been made to charity. Of course, our former colleague lost his job as a result of the action that was taken. People across the House talk of free and fair elections—that is what we believe in as a democracy—but political parties need not just to talk about free and fair elections; they need to ensure they put it into practice.

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2018 to Question 132978, how many of the allegations of electoral fraud concerning the 2017 General Election of which they were made aware were then...

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2018 to Question 132978, how many of the allegations of electoral fraud concerning the 2017 General Election of which they were made aware were then...

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many complaints the Commission received in relation to breaches in election law after (a) during and (b) after General Election 2017; and how many of those complaints (i) related to electoral...

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many complaints the Commission received in relation to breaches in election law after (a) during and (b) after General Election 2017; and how many of those complaints (i) related to electoral...

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of eligible electors on the register, resident in other EU Member States, for the June 2017 General Election; and what proportion of them voted.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of eligible electors on the register, resident in other EU Member States, for the June 2017 General Election; and what proportion of them voted.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of eligible electors on the register, resident outside the UK, for the June 2017 General Election; and what proportion of them voted.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of eligible electors on the register, resident outside the UK, for the June 2017 General Election; and what proportion of them voted.

One of the challenges facing electoral staff this year was an unprecedented number of people taking advantage of the opportunity to register online, and administrators had to sort out duplicate registrations. We are looking at the lessons to be learned from that, but we should not fail to acknowledge the fact that online registration has made it easier for people to register and has been a great boon to many of our citizens.

One of the challenges facing electoral staff this year was an unprecedented number of people taking advantage of the opportunity to register online, and administrators had to sort out duplicate registrations. We are looking at the lessons to be learned from that, but we should not fail to acknowledge the fact that online registration has made it easier for people to register and has been a great boon to many of our citizens.

Earlier, the Minister remarked that the 2017 snap election had been well run, but following that election the Association of Electoral Administrators felt the need to provide its members with a free counselling service. What action will the Government take to address the significant staffing pressures and unsustainable workloads experienced by our election staff?

Earlier, the Minister remarked that the 2017 snap election had been well run, but following that election the Association of Electoral Administrators felt the need to provide its members with a free counselling service. What action will the Government take to address the significant staffing pressures and unsustainable workloads experienced by our election staff?

With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Government’s plan to tackle threats against MPs and harassment in public life.

I echo the Prime Minister’s view that threats of violence and intimidation are completely unacceptable and have no place in our politics. Everybody should be treated...

With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Government’s plan to tackle threats against MPs and harassment in public life.

I echo the Prime Minister’s view that threats of violence and intimidation are completely unacceptable and have no place in our politics. Everybody should be treated...

Does the Home Secretary agree that vigorous debate and insults have been a feature of political life in this country for centuries? It was the distinguished Conservative politician Benjamin Disraeli who described the smile of his opponent Robert Peel as resembling

“the silver fittings on a coffin.”

But does she also agree...

Does the Home Secretary agree that vigorous debate and insults have been a feature of political life in this country for centuries? It was the distinguished Conservative politician Benjamin Disraeli who described the smile of his opponent Robert Peel as resembling

“the silver fittings on a coffin.”

But does she also agree...