OUR LOCAL MP, Rebecca Harris, today showed the nation why she had been elected to serve the Castle Point constituency. In presenting her Private Member’s Bill to the House of Commons, this morning, she made an impassioned, eloquent speech calling for the benefits of Single Double Summer Time to be investigated – and not once tripped over her words or diluted her argument with attacks upon its opponents.
It was a polished delivery, belying the fact that our MP has little commons experience, and was delivered with a masterful command of keeping a wary eye upon the opposing benches (where the Scots sat).
The debate went all Mrs Harris’ way, despite an unedifying attack upon Peter Hitchens (at the Mail on Sunday) by Tobias Elwood - one of Rebecca’s supporters and author of an extensive missive of all the benefits that SDST could bring - for the reporter to have dared to use the term: ‘Berlin time’ in a fortnight-old MoS article.
It was the first intimation that Mrs Harris’ supporters were dismayed by the Scots’ argument that the Bill’s statistics were wrong. Ably presented by Angus MacNeil ( the SNP's spokesperson for Transport, for Tourism, for Fishing, Food and Rural Affairs and for Scotland Office matters) and Alan Reid (Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Argyll and Bute), the argument tore into Rebecca’s flank and threatened to overturn her chariot. But it was none other than the Government’s representative, Edward Davey (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) who would suggest that the term ‘Berlin Time’ would better be renamed ‘Churchill Time,’ and who was to destroy any chance that Rebecca’s Bill had of becoming Law.
As the last member to be called upon to speak, Davey explained that the Government was unable to support the Bill; because it had not shown that the UK was united over the issue. Instead, he stated, should Rebecca’s Bill not achieve its second reading, the Government would publish full details of the evidence supporting a move to change Britain’s time zone and seek to consult with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Scottish Parliament to decide if such a move were practicable.
Rebecca’s jaw dropped at Davey’s bombshell; but she was nonetheless able to hold her head up high.
At the conclusion of the debate, Rebecca needed to obtain a majority from among the 123 MPs wishing to vote on the issue. And she did that comfortably - in the face of the Government’s opposition - achieving a solid 92 ayes; against just 10 nos.
Rebecca’s Private Member’s Bill, and the prospect of SDST, may have been scuppered by the excellent journalism of Martin Delgado (also of the Mail on Sunday) who broke the news of Portugal’s experience, which was drawn extensively upon by Davey - but Rebecca has shown herself to be a worthy advocate to represent the constituency she serves.
Her strong performance deserves a great deal of respect from residents. As one member put it: ‘Bernard Braine would be proud.’
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