RECESS AGAIN

This 4-week conference recess seems creakily antique. Has no-one ever thought of having all the party conferences in the same week? There can be very few people other than journalists who want to attend more than one (and journalists have colleagues…)

Tuesday 15^th September

On the last day of term, Yvette Cooper (Pontefract, Castleford & Knottingley, Labour) HealthSec, made a statement on Lady Justice Thirlwall’s report into events at the Countess of Chester Hospital 2015 to 2018 (ie the Lucy Letby murders) which was published on Tuesday morning.

As Mr Speaker had chosen to take questions on the proposed overnight visitor levy, the implications of the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline and the recognition of English malt whisky, the Minister responsible for AI could heave a breath of relief: the Commons will probably be fully automated before he has to make a statement on AI developments.

Monday 14^th September

After the weekend announcements of two donations of £36m to Reform UK, attention turned to the Lords, which happened to be debating the Representation of the People Bill on Monday.

However, with many MPs not in London this week and recess looming on Tuesday, a thin House (less than 40 members) held a “general debate” introduced by Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South & Penarth, Labour) MinState for the Middle East, on the situation in Israel and Palestine following the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of the change in the Government’s position on Israeli settlements last week.

The debate included pointed requests for clarification of the “double lock” on arms exports to Israel. Backbenchers emphasised that the Government’s acknowledgment of the illegal status of the settlements under international law and its new determination to address settler violence will have to be sustained over the long term if the two-state solution is to have any hope of realisation.

Friday 11^th September

The usually dull proceedings of Fridays, when many MPs choose to be in their constituencies rather than the House, were enlivened on 11^th September by consideration of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill reintroduced by Lauren Edwards (Rochester & Strood, Labour) after its predecessor was run out of time in the Lords in the last session. The debate seemed more fractious and bad-tempered than it had been when last before the Commons.

A particularly striking speech by Ashley Dalton (West Lancashire, Labour) who is herself suffering from fatal Stage IV metastatic breast cancer made an affecting contribution to ask members to oppose the Bill, saying:

“This Bill does not protect the most vulnerable. It does not mitigate against the poor, the old, people with disabilities, or black and minority ethnic people being disproportionately affected. It does not protect people who are mentally ill. It does not recognise that not everyone has the same level of agency, control or influence over their decision making. The clinicians we would ask to deliver this Bill are saying that it is not even workable—that there is every expectation that it would not even work for the terminally ill people who want an assisted death either.”

With fewer Members choosing to be present in the House than the last time the measure was debated in the Commons in June 2025 (when it passed 316 to 293), the runes looked threatening for the Bill’s supporters and on this occasion the Bill was eventually defeated by 286 votes to 270. Janet Daby (Lewisham East, Labour) was amongst those MPs who reversed their position.

This gradual drift away from support on this unwhipped “conscience” vote seemed to offer a significant fillip to the procedural delay caused by the previous Bill’s determined opponents in the Lords on its last appearance. Of course, supporters of the Bill understandably turned their ire on Their Lordships’ House, but it seems tha the Upper Chamber performed exactly its role in delaying the progress of this Bill until Members in the House of Commons found their thinking catching up with their emotions second time round. Fair play.

Thursday 10^th September

Wes Streeting (Ilford North, Labour) Defence Secretary delivered a Ministerial Statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to Ukraine’s defence. He highlighted the UK’s recent pledge to boost Ukrainian air defences ahead of the colder months, warning that Vladimir Putin prepares to “use winter as a weapon” by continuing brutal strikes against civilian and energy infrastructure.

In the absence of a statement about the severe flight disruptions caused by air traffic control system failures on Tuesday 8^th September, Greg Smith (Mid-Buckinghamshire, Conservative) Shadow Transport Minister was granted an urgent question on the matter, which the Transport Secretary (Heidi Alexander (Swindon, Labour)) was far too grand to come to the chamber to answer.

---

There will be no PMQs next week as the House rises for the party confernce season, which seems like a dreadful anachronism, but we will cover the limited proceedings in the Commons in a final report before recess.

---

Thank you for reading and please check out our instagram @theworldofukpolitics,

Alex