Clause 25 - Use of candidates' common names
Electoral Administration Bill
6:30 pm
Harriet Harman (Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Camberwell and Peckham, Labour)
P. J. Proby. There are archaeological layers here.
If hon. Members look through the parliamentary books, they will find that the name they think they know for a lot of people in the House is what they are commonly known as, but not their real name. I am sorry that we did not do that for the Committee, but hopefully we will do so promptly. A whole load of hon. Members have names different from those that they go by. For example, the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) is known as George, but his real name is Gideon. We might have Dave instead of David for the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron).
The point is what one is commonly known as. Putting that name on the ballot paper makes sense—why refer to something on the birth certificate? Refer to what one is commonly known as.
If the name is not commonly known and people are just trying to be misleading, confusing, obscene or offensive to voters, returning officers will decide that in their judgment that is not on and will give notice in writing of their reasons for refusing to use a name. The clause is sensible and brings the law into line with a lot of the situation that exists at the moment.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 25 ordered to stand part of the Bill.