In Britain’s House of Commons an “Early Day Motion” is a formal request by an ordinary Member for a debate on a topic that he or she feels strongly about, but which falls outside the scope of the tightly packed and largely Government controlled parliamentary calendar.
Ignoring the obvious double entendre, the name Early Day Motion derives from nineteenth century procedures. Members would indicate their intention of raising an issue for debate but without specifying a date. Used in their present form since the 1940s, EDMs are requests for a debate as soon as possible.
Types of Early Day Motions
Required to be no more than one sentence and 250 words long, modern EDMs typically fall into a handful of categories. Some are drawn up by groups of MPs within the same party to express a view different from that of their leaders. In 2007-08 a group of Labour Party MPs used an EDM to distance themselves from a controversial government decision to reduce a proposed salary increase for the police.
In rare cases an opposition party might use an EDM as a direct challenge to the government, the most celebrated example being Margaret Thatcher’s censure motion that led to the collapse of the Labour government in 1979.
Supporting the Climate Change Bill
Many EDMs are cross-party expressions of concern about international issues. Cases in the 2007-08 session ranged from proposals to strengthen the Climate Change Bill, the subject of several EDMs over the years, to animal welfare in China, something that many MPs apparently care passionately about.
One EDM demanded that the Chinese government crack down on acts of cruelty to animals and “bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.” Another asks the Chinese government “to acknowledge the British attitude to dog ownership by recognizing that a dog is for life, not just for the Olympics.”
Some EDMs are serious but have no hope of Ministerial support, such as MP David Howarth’s motion that the Government should give up its power to determine the dates of elections.
Early Day Motions on Local Issues
A surprisingly large number of EDMs relate to local issues, such as MP Daniel Kawczynski’s request for more allotments for his constituents in Shrewsbury to grow vegetables. Margaret Moran, Member for Luton South, demanded that the Football Association reverse its decision to deduct points from the Luton Town football team, supported by 15 MPs whose teams no doubt would not be competing with hers. Chris Ruane, Labour Member for the Vale of Clwyd, used an EDM to congratulate the North Wales Area Ramblers' Association on reaching its 20th anniversary.
The numbers of EDMs put forward each year have increased as the Parliamentary calendar has become more congested. From typically about 100 EDMs per session in the 1950s, the number rose to around 1,500 in the late 1990s, but has risen to more than 2,000 in each session since 2005-06.
Since EDM’s are not part of the Government’s agenda they are not normally signed by ministers, whips or parliamentary private secretaries. But some ordinary members are habitual sponsors and signers. Bob Spink, the former Conservative, now UKIP member for Castle Point in Essex sponsored 62 EDMs in 2007-08, including 23 that attracted no other signatures. The champion EDM signer was Ann Cryer, Labour Member for Keighley in Yorkshire, who signed 1,632, an average of about ten for each working day of the session.
Costs of Early Day Motions
At a cost for printing and publication alone of over £600,000 EDMs ought to matter, though many might question how useful some of them are. It is rare for sponsors to be granted a debate on their EDMs. And in 2007-08, 382 of the 2,289 EDMs received ten or fewer signatures, including 106 that were signed only by their principal sponsor.
But occasionally a large number of supporters can provide an important indicator of the strength of feeling on topics that the Government might have overlooked. Since 1997 45 EDMs have attracted more than 300 signatures, including the “Make Poverty History” EDM in 2004-05 which attracted signatures from more than two-thirds of all sitting MPs.
Aside from their length, the rules require EDMs not to criticise other Members, not to use “unparliamentary” language and not to be ironic. But they often make entertaining reading, and an important contribution to the sometimes eccentric character of the British House of Commons.
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