12 first-term MPs propose radical steps to reform parliament

12 Labour MPs elected in 2017 will today launch a new Fabian pamphlet which proposes a series of measures to reform parliament. New Brooms, edited by James Frith MP and published by the Fabian Society, will be launched at an event in Speakers’ House at 1pm on Wednesday 12 September.

MPs’ suggestions include:

• Ellie Reeves proposes changes to the amount of time MPs spend on votes.
• James Frith suggests proxy voting for parents with newborn babies.
• Preet Kaur Gill proposes introducing job descriptions for MPs.
• Laura Pidcock proposes introducing an electronic system to register requests to speak in parliament.
• Darren Jones argues Prime Minister’s Questions should be restricted to just the leaders of the political parties and a few questions from MPs.
• Alex Norris suggests alternatives to exclusively Anglican prayers at the start of the parliamentary day – for example a reflection led by different MPs in turn.

James Frith MP said:

“New Brooms is a critical but constructive look at how we can make parliament better. My colleagues and I put forward a wide range of proposals from proxy voting and family friendly reforms to legislative changes and more. We hope colleagues across parliament join us in these discussions.”

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Notes:

1. Contact: Rabyah Khan, media and communications manager at the Fabian Society
   0207 227 4906 | 07888861096 | rabyah.khan@fabians.org.uk
2. New Brooms can be read here.
3. This report represents not the collective views of the organisations involved but only the views of the individual authors.
4. The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust (JRRT) supports projects aimed at bringing about political and democratic reform. The JRRT supports overtly political causes that confront corrosive powers in our democracy and seek changes that rebalance power for the well-being of our society
5. The full list of contributors to this report is: James Frith MP, Preet Kaur Gill MP, Darren Jones MP, Sarah Jones MP, Anna McMorrin MP, Alex Norris MP, Laura Pidcock MP, Luke Pollard MP, Ellie Reeves MP, Danielle Rowley MP, Alex Sobel MP.
6. The Fabian Society is Britain’s oldest political think tank. Founded in 1884, the Society is at the forefront of developing political ideas and public policy on the left. The society is alone among think tanks in being a democratically-constituted membership organisation, with over 7,000 members. It is constitutionally affiliated to the Labour party.