Labour's Brian Iddon wins ballot to set own law

Mr Iddon's bill will be the first to be debated

Labour's Brian Iddon has topped the annual MPs' ballot to get a shot at making their own law.

Fellow Labour MPs David Chaytor, Andrew Gwynne and Albert Owen followed him in the private members' bills ballot.

But with a tight Parliamentary timetable, ministers intend to allow only six days for private bills.

Bolton South East MP Mr Iddon told the BBC he was "amazed" to be picked but he would be keeping a "cool head" when deciding which bill to choose.

He came 17th in the 2002 ballot but still got his Marine Safety Bill through Parliament and claims some success in a 10-minute rule bill which found its way into the Statistics and Registration Act.

'Poll position'

However this Parliamentary session will be cut short by the general election which must be called by June 2010 and at which Mr Iddon is retiring.

With the government already facing time pressures on its own bills, Commons leader Harriet Harman told MPs on Thursday it would have to reduce time available for private members' bills as a "question of proportionality".

TOP TEN FROM BALLOT Brian Iddon, Lab David Chaytor, Lab Andrew Gwynne, Lab Albert Owen, Lab Julie Morgan, Lab Anthony Steen, Con Alistair Burt, Con John Smith, Lab Chris Grayling, Con Nigel Dodds, DUP

By the time Mr Iddon got back to his office on Thursday afternoon he had more than 300 emails, many from campaigners hoping he will take up their cause.

Mr Iddon told the BBC he was not "short of ideas" about possible bills but in a "truncated" session of Parliament he had to have government backing or he would not get one through.

"I'm in poll position, I'm very privileged ... and I want to get a bill through that is of use to my constituents and to the rest of the country," he said.

"I don't want to poke the government in the eye, I want government support for whatever I take, so that's limiting me. But there are some good ideas which the government will support, I'm just going to keep a cool head."

Mr Iddon has to have a "dummy bill" by 16 December and is expecting a mountain of mail in the run-up to that date from pressure groups, campaigners and other MPs lobbying for him to support their cause.

As his name was first out of the ballot, his bill will be the first to be debated.

He said getting a bill through in such a tight timescale was "just possible" but "very difficult" and he would have to consult further about what bills were likely to get through.

Private members' bills stand a slim chance of becoming law and must command cross-party and government support if they are to do so.

Last year's winner, Conservative MP Cheryl Gillan, successfully piloted an Autism Bill through Parliament which became law in October.

The ballot is held every year, on the second Thursday of the parliamentary session. Time for private members' bills is limited and the ballot allows for a degree of prioritising. Several Fridays are set aside for debates.