Electronic voting in the House of Commons during covid-19 national lockdown

Early day motion 1323, tabled 6 January 2021 by Caroline Lucas (Green). Signed by 25 members.

That this House notes the success of the electronic voting system used by hon. Members in the House of Commons during the first national lockdown to prevent the spread of covid-19 in 2020; notes that MPs who need or want to avoid long distance travel currently have no choice but to use the proxy voting system; believes the proxy system is not the best system for voting in the House of Commons when large numbers of MPs have to use it for a prolonged period of time; further notes that electronic voting is safer than the proxy voting system which results in more hon. Members travelling to London and back; notes the proxy voting system allows an individual whip to cast the votes of 100s of backbenchers at a time and that a recent list indicated that the Government’s Deputy Chief Whip was designated to cast proxy votes for 315 MPs; is concerned that used in this way, this is a method of voting that risks the transfer of a degree of power to the whips over voting decisions of backbenchers; hopes the Government does not wish to be seen to be marking its own homework; believes the re-introduction of electronic voting for MPs would be healthier for the democratic scrutiny of the Government as well as being more covid-secure; and calls upon the Government to reinstate electronic voting in divisions for the duration of national lockdown.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 7, Labour 6, Independent 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Alliance 1, DUP 1, Green 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Liberal Democrat 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.