A Tory MP has sparked fury having been accused of trying to ‘talk out’ a range of bills on violence against women, animal cruelty and veterans’ medals.
Philip Davies was accused of “wasting time” and being a “shame on our democracy” by speaking for so long that new laws tabled by MPs would fail to be debated and voted on in time.
Labour’s Anna Turley was one of the most vocal critics, angered by having queued over-night three months ago to be given the chance to pass a bill that would have toughened up sentencing for animal cruelty crimes.
She tabled a Private Members Bill, but was eighth in the queue of backbench MPs waiting to have their legislation debated.
The cut-off time for her bill to be debated was 2:30pm this afternoon.
As the deadline approached, Turley and other Labour MPs grew increasingly frustrated with Davies - who at one point talked for 90 minutes and repeatedly asked for permission to intervene in other MPs’ speeches.
The animal cruelty bill eventually failed to be debated on and passed before the 2:30pm deadline.
Turley said the day’s events proved “Parliament is not working” and branded Davies as “pathetic”.
Turley added that even some of Davies’ colleagues in the Conservative Party were angry with his long speeches, and challenged him herself at one point.
Phillips was also accused of trying to ‘talk out’ a law proposed by the SNP to ratify the Istanbul Convention - described as “the most comprehensive violence against women policy that’s ever been written, anywhere”.
The bill eventually passed after Davies withdrew his amendments, with enough MPs in the House of Commons chamber to force a ‘closure motion’ and immediate vote.
The Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women And Domestic violence (Ratification of Convention) Bill passed its third reading by 138 votes to 1. Davies was the only MP to vote against it.
It will now progress to the House of Lords, where peers will conduct readings and votes on it, before it can become law.
In a statement, Davies told The Huffington Post UK: “I made it clear in my speech that I support Anna’s bill, however it had no chance of being debated whether I was there or not as it was 8th on the order paper.
“Perhaps she can tell me when the last time the 8th bill on the order paper was reached? Also, it could have been nodded through at the end and wasn’t, so clearly someone did block it – but it wasn’t me”