Debates between Nick Smith and Paul Flynn during the 2015-2017 Parliament

Fri 18th Nov 2016

Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill

Debate between Nick Smith and Paul Flynn
2nd reading: House of Commons
Friday 18th November 2016

(8 years ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill 2016-17 View all Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill 2016-17 Debates Read Hansard Text
Paul Flynn Portrait Paul Flynn
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I want to be brief, and I want to make this point, because it has not been made so far.

The Government’s proposal will make things worse. According to an analysis by the Electoral Reform Society, reducing the number of MPs will reduce the number of marginal constituencies, and will make the House less representative than it is now.

Nick Smith Portrait Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
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Does my hon. Friend agree that what is really going on here is that the Executive are reducing the House’s ability to hold them to account, while at the same time creating extra peers so that they can get their own way? That cannot be right.