With any new Government, the first 100 days are crucial. It’s an opportunity for us, as citizens, to see the programme and priorities of our newly appointed Ministers. The mandate was clear, change. But, will it be the change we need? Will it finally be the change that ushers in a nature-rich just transition—via a Climate and Nature Act?
As we (and the new UK Government) navigate these first 100 days, it’s essential that we recognise and take advantage of every parliamentary opportunity that presents itself to advance the Climate and Nature Bill.
One of these opportunities which falls within the first 100 days is the House of Commons Private Members’ Bill Ballot. Let’s dig into exactly what this means.
What is a Private Members’ Bill Ballot (PMBB)?
At the start of each new parliamentary session, backbench MPs from across the Commons are able to enter the PMBB. The Ballot this year is taking place on 5 September 2024, where (with or without a bill in mind) MPs can register their names in the hopes of being picked as one of the 20 who can pass a new law.
It’s not only an exciting opportunity for us, as we aim to use the process to ensure the CAN Bill has official time to progress, but also for backbench MPs who can deliver the legislation that their constituents sent them to Westminster to support.
After the MPs have added their names to the ballot list—which, considering we are in the 21st century, is still a physical book—20 of them will be selected in random order, and then allocated time for their bills (depending on the order they are picked).
These 20 MPs then have until 15 October to choose which bill they would like to progress. As you can imagine, this is a competitive moment, where groups like Zero Hour will be asking the 20 MPs to select a specific bill.
But this is the CAN Bill’s moment. We now have a huge group of MPs and allies which we’ve been building since 2020—and a bill that is drafted and ready to go—one that, critically, has cross-party support from 211 Parliamentarians (MPs and Peers).
How would the Private Members’ Bill Ballot elevate the CAN Bill?
It is our duty to make sure we take up every route possible to get the Government to deliver a Climate and Nature Act. Although this is not our only route, it is a major opportunity for us to put the CAN Bill on the path to becoming an Act.
If we can persuade an MP who is selected in the top 20 to commit to championing the CAN Bill, we can guarantee that the Bill will have official parliamentary time to finally make progress. Not only does this provide the Bill with official debating time, it will also mean that we are discussing the importance of the CAN Bill’s joined-up plan with Government Ministers, directly.
In the last (2019-24) Parliament, the Conservative Government did not enable the Bill to progress, and we can’t afford to let that happen in this crucial Parliament, which runs up to 2029-30. The year where we must be well on our way to reversing nature’s destruction—and have rapidly slashed our greenhouse gas emissions. We are dangerously off track, meaning this has to be the year that the UK gets serious about the climate and ecological emergency.
Together, we made our voices heard during the 4 July election. We brought in over 1,000 candidates to the campaign, and we’re now the largest cross-party platform for a joined-up, science-led climate and nature plan in the UK Parliament.
We now need our MPs, your MPs, to stand by the science, and use the opportunity of the PMBB to deliver a Climate and Nature Act.
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