Fears raised for 'second class' MPs

Martin: accused of bias in the past

Many MPs are being relegated to second-class status in Parliament because longer serving politicians get to speak more often, the Commons speaker has been warned.

Labour MP Peter Bradley has written to the Speaker, Michael Martin, raising fears that newer MPs are not being treated equally.

It surely cannot be right that a large number of members are relegated to second-class status

Peter Bradley
Labour MP

The Wrekin MP says he does not think Mr Martin means to discriminate but that is what is happening in major debates.

In the debate over the government's Iraq policy last month, only 26 of the 50 MPs chosen to speak could be described as "genuine backbenchers", says Mr Bradley.

Newcomers' worries

Speakers in that debate included 19 former ministers, the Father of the House of Commons, Tam Dalyell, two select committee chairmen and two minority party leaders, he said.

Only two of the 293 Labour MPs elected since 1992 were able to put their views in the Commons as the government's Iraq dossier was unveiled.

Mr Bradley says this pattern is widely perceived by newer members to be "routinely followed" in major debates.

In his letter to Mr Martin, the MP says: "I cannot imagine that it is your intention to discriminate either in favour or against one group or other of MPs.

"But, if not by design then by default, that is what is happening.

"It surely cannot be right that a large number of members and the constituents they represent are relegated to second-class status in the House of Commons.

"But that is inevitably what happens if MPs are not given an equal opportunity to state their views and represent their constituencies in the chamber."

Best use of time?

Mr Martin has refused calls for him to publish in advance the list of MPs he intends to speak in debates.

That is partly to encourage MPs to stay in the Commons and listen to what their colleagues have to say.

Mr Bradley says he waited eight-and-a-half hours in the Iraq debate to be called to speak and was not.

He says he does not complain about that and even if he had known before that he would not be called, he would have wanted to stay to hear other contributions.

But he might have wanted to go away for short periods to eat, return telephone calls or carry out other duties, says Mr Bradley.

He argues: "I believe that I should be allowed to make the choice as to how best to use my time on behalf of my constituents."

Mr Martin's office told BBC News Online it did not comment on private correspondence between MPs and the speaker.