Question for Jen

[lovingboth]

Andrew Stunell 'won' the private members bill ballot last week - any idea what he's going to do?

Lembit Opik came twelfth, but that's probably a bit low to have a chance of succeeding in getting anything passed.

Comments

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

http://www.stunell.co.uk/index.php
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2090372.stm

Seems his interests are constitutional stuff, the environment, nukes and Third World Debt - he speaks for the Lib Dems on Energy and is Chief Whip, and is also on the HoC Modernisation Select Committee ...

[lovingboth]

Yeah, his site is about two months out of date.

The last Lib chief whip to 'win' the ballot was David "the rumours about him are false, he once had a girlfriend" Alton, who did something on his abortion obsession :(

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

Oh lawks, I remember. I also remember he was a vociferous supporter of Alan Beith's leadership bid against Paddy in 88. I'm very relieved he lost and left the Commons.

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

He is now in the Lords as a crossbench Christian Democrat. I have a feeling that his last election address in 1992 said he was a "Christian Democrat who would sit on the Liberal Democrat benches" or some such -- in any case he was quite semi-detached from the Lib Dems even then. Always voted the right was on things like s28 and the AOC.

[lovingboth]

He was always very good on race relations, but the transformation from the young radical MP who wanted to make public transport free to the holier-than-thou Norman StJohn Stevas clone was awful to watch.

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

Last time I spoke to him was Saturday and he'd had 350 requests already by email alone. Given his interests and portfolio I'd expect something fairly environmental -- energy portfolio and all that. If I was him, I'd prevaricate as long as possible to maximise the free lunches you get out of topping the PMB list.

Knowing him and his constituency manager, I don't think he'll do a David Alton.

[lovingboth]

Ha, yes, how to discover lots of new friends you never knew you had.

Some other LibDem had an energy conservation bill passed, but I couldn't say who or what effect it has had.

I feel a poll coming on...

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

Erm... Diana Maddock's warmer homes bill? It was about 1993, whoever it was.