Wales@Westminster newslog

The Wales@Westminster weblog, BBC Wales' Parliamentary correspondent David Cornock's diary on political life

Tuesday, 20 March

Anyone feel left out?

posted by David | 1125 GMT |

Early day motions are known as parliamentary graffiti. Seldom debated, on early days or any other, they are useful for MPs to sound off on favourite hobbyhorses, campaign on issues close to their heart, or simply hop on the nearest bandwagon before it leaves the station.

Forty-eight hours after Wales defeated England in the six nations rugby championship, 16 MPs put their names to a motion on the House of Commons order paper celebrating the victory and the part played in it by man of the match James Hook.

The motion, tabled by Aberavon Labour MP Hywel Francis, praises not only Hook for his contribution but thanks "Central Junior School, Glanafan Comprehensive School, Neath Port Talbot College, Aberavon Quins RFC, Corus RFC, Talbach RFC, Aberavon RFC and Ospreys RFC" for nuturing his talent.

Let's hope there's not a creche or nursery school that feels overlooked by Dr Francis's otherwise all-encompassing motion which features more thanks than the average Oscar acceptance speech.

The average cost to the taxpayer of tabling an early day motion, should you be wondering, is £290.