The Football Governance Bill set to create a Football Regulator is to be tabled in Parliament today. A Bill goes through five stages in each House. Today is the First Reading in the House of Commons, there is no debate, simply the Bill is published. The Second Reading, typically in about two weeks time is the first time the Bill is debated. Here the major tenets of the Bill are debated, key arguments for future improvement of the Bill are potentially laid down. Then comes the Committee Stage which is where they go through the Bill, clause by clause. If there are going to be changes to the Bill, this is where they are likely to happen. In the Commons the Committee Stage is in a Committee Room upstairs, in the Lords it is often in the Chamber of the whole House. The fourth stage is the Report Stage and then after the Third Reading the Bill will go to the other House to follow the same stages. Very occasionally there is a bit of hokey cokey between the two Houses at the end, but this is rare.
So First Reading today strongly suggests no General Election in May, they simply would not have time to get it through. What I cannot remember is whether the intent to create a Regulator was in the election Manifesto. If it was this will reduce the amount of change/opposition in the Lords.
Typically, debates on Bills before the Commons largely follow party lines, in the Lords far less so. The key stage for any changes will be the Committee Stage. Sometimes after a vigorous Second Reading the Government will themselves recognise the need for amendments. There are few successful amendments at Report Stage and Third Reading.
Once we know what the Bill will look like (I.e. today), it would be perfectly acceptable for those who have an opinion on the Bill to email their MP (give your postcode so they know you are a constituent) your personal views on it. You could also ask them if they intend to speak at the Second Reading. If your MP is geographically close to Plymouth you could point out what you think the impact, negatively or positively, on Argyle might be. Only contact your own MP.
So First Reading today strongly suggests no General Election in May, they simply would not have time to get it through. What I cannot remember is whether the intent to create a Regulator was in the election Manifesto. If it was this will reduce the amount of change/opposition in the Lords.
Typically, debates on Bills before the Commons largely follow party lines, in the Lords far less so. The key stage for any changes will be the Committee Stage. Sometimes after a vigorous Second Reading the Government will themselves recognise the need for amendments. There are few successful amendments at Report Stage and Third Reading.
Once we know what the Bill will look like (I.e. today), it would be perfectly acceptable for those who have an opinion on the Bill to email their MP (give your postcode so they know you are a constituent) your personal views on it. You could also ask them if they intend to speak at the Second Reading. If your MP is geographically close to Plymouth you could point out what you think the impact, negatively or positively, on Argyle might be. Only contact your own MP.
