MRS PHYLLIS BOWMAN AND ELECTION EXPENDITURE

Early day motion 882, tabled 4 March 1998 by Ann Winterton (Conservative). Signed by 8 members.

That this House warmly commends Mrs Phyllis Bowman of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children for her fight against the manner in which section 25 of the Representation of the People Act has previously gagged interest groups, preventing them from publishing in leaflet form the voting records or voting intentions of political candidates on moral issues; congratulates her on her victory in the European Court of Human Rights which ruled that the current law is in breach of the right to freedom of expression; notes that she first publicly opposed the law in 1978, since when she has twice been found guilty of 'corrupt' electoral practice and has been fined; and calls on the Government to acknowledge the Strasbourg ruling by quashing her criminal record, refunding her fines and the costs and amending the law to conform with the judgement.

Signatures by party: Conservative 5, Liberal Democrat 2, UUP 1.