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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

The perfect parliamentary coffee table book does not ex… Oh!

Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

How could the assisted dying bill be amended even if MPs seek to use the Parliament Acts (which requires them to pass an identical bill)? From my comments on Radio 4’s Today in Parliament. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I was on Radio 4’s Today in Parliament yesterday, discussing the assisted dying bill. We talked about how the Parliament Acts might be used to pass the bill, and how changes can still be made to it. Around 7:35 in: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

We now have the full titles of all 20 ballot bills being introduced this session. The top seven (Swayne to Toale) are pretty much guaranteed a debate (and the chance to push for a vote) if they want it. This includes the revived assisted dying bill in 2nd place.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Enjoyed speaking to MPs' staff and other parliamentary personnel today for this session on private members' bills organised by the House of Commons Library.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Not sure of the full context of this, from Politico London Playbook. Or whether it’s intended to mean prorogation and a new session. But assuming it would, this would seriously complicate any idea of using Parliamentary Acts to pass the assisted dying bill.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Here is what Winston Churchill, then Home Secretary, said on idea that the power to override the Lords should not apply to PMBs. MPs voted to endorse Churchill’s position. So explicitly intended to apply to PMBs.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

🚨Could the Parliament Acts be used to pass assisted dying? As I say in this clip: 🔵 Never previously used on a PMB 🔵 But explicitly intended to apply to PMBs, not just govt bills 🔵 In practice, not straightforward to do, but possible

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Grateful to be back on Radio 4’s Today in Parliament, discussing the assisted dying bill’s prospects following this week’s PMB ballot. Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Grateful for the chance to discuss the assisted dying bill - which will run out of time today - on the World at One on BBC Radio 4. Full piece here (around 22 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... #assisteddyingbill

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Other than the assisted dying bill, what happened to all the other private members’ bills this session? I was asked about this for Today in Parliament on BBC Radio 4. Full episode here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Very happy to be back on the Parliament Matters podcast, discussing the latest developments on the assisted dying bill with @ruthfox.bsky.social & @matthewengland.bsky.social. Thank you for having me! Listen to the episode here: pod.link/1714627828/e...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

I was interviewed on Today in Parliament on Radio 4 on Friday, discussing how the assisted dying bill might fare in the House of Lords. Listen here (around 7 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Can’t help but wonder whether some punctuation might have helped here.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Note that these are the recommended minimum intervals between bill stages in the Lords. Possible though politically tricky to depart from these, given wider concerns about 'adequate scrutiny'. On this basis, very hard to see the bill passing the Lords before summer recess.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

For comparison, this was grouping of amendments on the Illegal Migration Bill from 2023 (govt bill under Sunak). By my rough count, that's around 200 amendments/NCs in one group (on a single day, approx 5 hours). On assisted dying bill, it's around 120 amdts/NCs, in two groups.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Speaker has provisionally created two groups of amendments at report stage on the assisted dying bill. This makes it less likely (than if a single group) - though still not impossible - for the bill to complete its report stage in a single day.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Given the importance of proper Lords scrutiny, the government should make clear that it will guarantee time for Lords amendments. I made the same case last year in this piece for @conunitucl.bsky.social. constitution-unit.com/2024/11/26/h... END

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

For the older precedents of providing CCLA time, see the @hansardsociety.bsky.social's excellent briefing on the assisted dying bill. www.hansardsociety.org.uk/publications... For more recent precedents, see 2019 (Conservative backbench bill) and 2023 (Lib Dem bill). 7/?

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

I very much recommend the weekly trivia question in the House of Lords newsletter. 🤓 www.parliament.uk/business/lor...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

BBC News suggests that the assisted dying bill committee might sit for two days per week. This would be very unusual for a PMB (usually only Weds) - but also very sensible, ensuring there is more time to properly scrutinise.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Good description of the process in @hansardsociety.bsky.social's excellent briefing on the bill's procedures. assets.ctfassets.net/n4ncz0i02v4l...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Another year of successfully placating the green owl. #duolingo

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

For this reason, Commons PMBs tend in practice to have relatively limited scrutiny in the Lords. The Cabinet Office's guidance on the legislative process states that amendments to PMBs in the second House are 'likely to kill the bill'.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

I do in principle agree with this concern about consideration of Lords amendments on the assisted dying bill. However, it would be possible to address the problem - though doing so would likely require additional time from the government. 🧵

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

📣 Legislatures geek announcement: A week or so ago I went to Madrid, and just look at what you can buy in the two parliamentary gift shops. The Senate selection is especially nice. #legislativetourism

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Given the complexity and controversy of the assisted dying bill, an additional day for Report would I think be very sensible. PMBs were used to implement several high-profile reforms in the 1960s - on homosexuality, death penalty, abortion - but all received additional time, allowing more scrutiny.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 16/10/2024

Titles of all the 20 ballot private members' bills being introduced into the Commons today. Those towards the top were drawn highest in the ballot, so will be first in line for debate.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

For example, on the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill in 2013, the (then) government argued that the bill should be taken in a public bill committee - rather than on the floor of the House - precisely to enable interested parties to give evidence.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

The first stage (tomorrow) is first reading - a formality. At this stage PMB sponsors pick the day on which their bill will have its second reading. Since Leadbeater was first in the ballot, she's likely to go for the first available day: 29 November.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 11/10/2024

Cannot fault the speed of delivery, at least.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 10/10/2024

Here it is - the latest parliament Christmas jumper. Not sure what I think about this one.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 04/10/2024

This bit, about the government providing its own time to help the bill pass, remains potentially relevant to the Commons bill. If additional time time is needed - e.g. to overcome long debates or many amendments - the government may need to provide it for the bill to pass.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 04/10/2024

On the forthcoming #AssistedDying bill, this is what I wrote in July about Lord Falconer's similar Lords bill. The issue has now been taken up by the MP first in the ballot - so the bill will be at the front of the queue. Read the piece from July here: theconversation.com/why-a-house-...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 03/10/2024

This is why a proposal by 11th-placed Jake Richards to introduce a bill on this topic was far from ideal. There are only 7 days for PMB second readings, so being in the top 7 matters.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 06/09/2024

Nominated membership of the new Modernisation Committee - which will consider the reform of Commons procedures, practices and standards - listed on today’s order paper.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 05/09/2024

The sole TUV MP drawn seventh place in the PMB ballot - so pretty much guaranteed that his bill can be debated. A very good result for a small party.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 05/09/2024

Clive Lewis asking for suggestions from the public for his PMB. He was drawn today fourth in the ballot. This means he’s pretty much guaranteed a debate as his bill can be the first item on one of the sitting Fridays.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 05/09/2024

MP 11th in PMB ballot intends to introduce bill on assisted dying. If want a debate and vote, ideal is for it to be an MP drawn in top 7 - since only those can usually guarantee a debate (and have chance to move “closure” to force a decision/vote).

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 05/09/2024

Full list of successful MPs in the ballot.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 05/12/2023

David Gauke and Andrew Cooper discussing their book The Case for the Centre Right with @timbale.bsky.social, hosted by the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary.

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 06/11/2023

Wes Streeting ‘in conversation’ at the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary, discussing his memoir - large parts of which took place in the East End streets surrounding the university. @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

Today the Commons has an unusual 14th private members' bill Friday of the session (usually there are 13). Here are the bills down on the order paper. Something odd about the selection, I just can't put my finger on what...

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Daniel Gover @danielgover.bsky.social · 03/10/2023

Loads of fascinating findings in the report. But this is one bit I found especially interesting, on the historical development of MPs' salaries and staffing expenses. 🤓

Figure 2-1 A timeline of MPs’ salaries and staffing expenses, 1895–2020

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