In the
Westminster parliamentary system
The Westminster system, or Westminster model, is a type of parliamentary government that incorporates a series of procedures for operating a legislature, first developed in England. Key aspects of the system include an executive branch made up ...
, an early day motion (EDM) is a
motion
In physics, motion is when an object changes its position with respect to a reference point in a given time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed, and frame of reference to an o ...
, expressed as a single sentence,
tabled
In parliamentary procedure, the verb to table has the opposite meaning in the United States from that of the rest of the world:
*In the United States, to "table" usually means to postpone or suspend consideration of a pending motion. Generally, t ...
by
a member of Parliament, which the Government (in charge of parliamentary business) has not yet scheduled for debate.
History and uses
The name derives from the idea that an MP who tables one is calling for a debate on the topic covered by the motion to be held "on an early day". In practice, early day motions are rarely debated in the House, and their main purpose is to draw attention to particular subjects of interest.
Government ministers
A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ' prime minister', ' p ...
,
Whips
A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...
,
Parliamentary Private Secretaries, the
Speaker of the House of Commons Speaker of the House of Commons is a political leadership position found in countries that have a House of Commons, where the membership of the body elects a speaker to lead its proceedings.
Systems that have such a position include:
* Speaker of ...
and Deputy Speakers do not normally sign EDMs. EDMs remain open for signature for the duration of the
parliamentary session
A legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections. ...
.
EDMs can be tabled on matters ranging from trivial or humorous topics to those of great importance. The
censure motion
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. In parliamentary procedure, it is a debatable main motion that could be adopted by a majority vote. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spir ...
by which the Labour Government of
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005) was a British statesman and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the L ...
was ejected had its origin in an early day motion (no. 351 of 1978–79), put down on 22 March 1979, by
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
.
MPs may ensure the text of an EDM is printed in
Hansard
''Hansard'' is the transcripts of parliamentary debates in Britain and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard (1776–1833), a London printer and publisher, who was the first official printe ...
by mentioning it by number in questions to the
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The Leader is always a memb ...
after the Business Statement (normally on a Thursday when the house is in session).
EDMs tabled on serious topics have included one demanding the release of Nelson Mandela when he was incarcerated in apartheid South Africa, and one calling for a consultation on the fingerprinting of children in schools without parental permission. Shortly after the 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 general election, 412 of the 646 MPs signed EDM 178 calling for a Climate Change Act 2008, Climate Change Bill; only three other early day motions had ever been signed by more than 400 MPs.
In the 2021-2022 Parliamentary session, an Early Day Motion which expressed support for WAVE Trust's 70/30 campaign to reduce child maltreatment by 70% by 2030 achieved the support of 151 Members of Parliament and, in doing so, became the most supported EDM of that particular session.
Criticism
Conservative Party (UK), Conservative MP Robert Courts has been an outspoken critic of EDMs, describing them as "parliamentary graffiti." Courts has said that EDMs are generally tabled by MPs on behalf of "lobbyists or groups keen to show themselves as doing something", that they are "politically impotent" and a waste of taxpayers' money.
See also
* Adjournment debate
References
External links
Early Day Motions DatabaseVolunteer run site with Early Day Motions re-presented and supplying raw data
Westminster system
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