Private Members’ Bills ballot update

Further to my post earlier this week about the Private Members’ Bills ballot, here is the result:

1. John McDonnell
2. Richard Ottaway
3. Barbara Keeley
4. Gavin Barwell
5. Peter Aldous
6. John Hemming
7. Neil Carmichael
8. Sir Paul Beresford
9. Richard Harrington
10. Mike Weir
11. Stuart Andrew
12. Sheryll Murray
13. Lindsay Roy
14. John Glen
15. Jo Swinson
16. Mark Hendrick
17. Simon Kirby
18. Michael Meacher
19. Michael Connarty
20. Douglas Carswell

So, not a great result for Labour and, with a few honourable exceptions, not much opportunity for progressive measures to be advanced… John McDonnell, who topped the ballot a few years ago too and introduced his Trade Union Freedom Bill, has already indicated he will be bringing in a bill about the appointment of the Governor of the Bank of England. Barbara Keeley is very interested in – and very good on – social care/ carers issues, so I’m sure that will be one of the topics she’ll be considering. Sir Paul Beresford is another one who has done well in a previous ballot, introducing a rather good child protection bill in the last session, which actually became law in March – the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012. John Hemming has had problems with cat burglars. Jo Swinson has long campaigned on body image and airbrushing in adverts, so perhaps she’ll be doing something on that? Michael Meacher has a letter going viral on Facebook right now, about tax avoidance and the Sunday Times rich list – his blog is here. And as for Douglas Carswell… abolishing Europe or something along those lines.