EDMs can be tabled on matters ranging from trivial, even funny, topics to those of epoch-making importance. The censure motion by which the Labour Government of James Callaghan was ejected had its origin in an early day motion (no. 351 of 1978–79), put down on March 22, 1979 by Margaret Thatcher.
Examples of trivial issues covered include EDM 1255 Pigeon Bombs in the 2003–04 session of the UK Parliament tabled by Tony Banks, which concerns itself with a disclosure by MI5 that it had proposed using pigeons as flying bombs during World War II. The motion condemned the proposal, describing humans as "obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal", and proposed that the House "looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the Earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again". It was only signed by two other MPs (Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell).
EDMs tabled on serious topics include those tabled demanding the release of Nelson Mandela when he was incarcerated in apartheid South Africa. One that is currently receiving all party support is EDM 1198 concerning Decennial Census records Another is EDM 179 Software in Schools, supporting the use of open source software in English schools despite apparent DfES and Becta confusion catalogued by the Open Schools Alliance.
Shortly after the 2005 general election, 412 of the 646 MPs signed EDM 178 calling for a Climate Change Bill; only three other early day motions had ever been signed by more than 400 MPs.
See also
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 12:16:22 PST (GMT -0800)
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EDMs can be tabled on matters ranging from trivial, even funny, topics to those of epoch-making importance. The censure motion by which the Labour Government of James Callaghan was ejected had its origin in an early day motion (no. 351 of 1978–79), put down on March 22, 1979 by Margaret Thatcher.
Examples of trivial issues covered include EDM 1255 Pigeon Bombs in the 2003–04 session of the UK Parliament tabled by Tony Banks, which concerns itself with a disclosure by MI5 that it had proposed using pigeons as flying bombs during World War II. The motion condemned the proposal, describing humans as "obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal", and proposed that the House "looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the Earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again". It was only signed by two other MPs (Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell).
EDMs tabled on serious topics include those tabled demanding the release of Nelson Mandela when he was incarcerated in apartheid South Africa. One that is currently receiving all party support is EDM 1198 concerning Decennial Census records Another is EDM 179 Software in Schools, supporting the use of open source software in English schools despite apparent DfES and Becta confusion catalogued by the Open Schools Alliance.
Shortly after the 2005 general election, 412 of the 646 MPs signed EDM 178 calling for a Climate Change Bill; only three other early day motions had ever been signed by more than 400 MPs.
See also
References
External links
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 12:16:22 PST (GMT -0800)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
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