5. Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:30 pm on 9 July 2024.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mick Antoniw Mick Antoniw Labour 4:30, 9 July 2024

Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I welcome all the comments that have been made. Referring to Jane Dodds's comments last of all, the health of our democracy, I think, is an issue of such importance. The points you raised we are all aware of and have been commented on. We recognise how important it is to our stability, but also to our fundamental freedoms. Of course, the ability to make these changes today—and these are very radical changes—comes from the Wales Act 2017. It was one of the key parts of why I was so supportive of that Act, because if you don't have control over your electoral system, you are effectively disempowered, and our ability today to make radical change electorally and to modernise our system is really important.

If I could refer to Peter Fox's comments, I am very disappointed that the Conservative opposition is not supporting this Bill. I have to say right at the beginning I always thought that as a group you wouldn't, because the Conservative Party has supported all sorts of methods of voter suppression over the past years. It is so disappointing that you are actually opposing the introduction of automatic registration and the possibility of there being another 400,000 Welsh electors on the electoral register. I'm so disappointed because I suspect that is the main reason why you are actually opposing this Bill—because it opens out democracy in a way that I think would be far more inclusive and involve far more people. I think you have struggled to find reasons to oppose this Bill. I hope you will reconsider, but I doubt that that will actually happen.

Adam, in terms of the point you raised, I very much take note of the points you make on diversity. Diversity and inclusivity is a very important part of this particular Bill. In fact, this Bill takes us further in those particular areas than, I think, in any other previous legislation. The issues relating to the potential digitisation of the electoral register really open the door to very radical, very dramatic and very fundamental change. I think this legislation is a very significant step forward.

Thank you for the support. I urge all Members now to support Stage 4 so that this radical—groundbreaking for the UK—legislation can go forward for Royal Assent. Diolch.