We won this round – it’s about time!
03 Dec 2010
Amazing news: at 2.10pm today the Daylight Saving Bill PASSED its crucial second reading in the House of Commons. We’ve got a long way to go yet – but this is a massive leap forward and it’s all thanks to you.
The day started with huge uncertainty, amid reports of MPs leaving London early because of the snow. With the vote fast approaching and a poor turnout looking increasingly likely, it was all hands to the phones as hundreds of you sent last-minute emails and called to get MPs into the chamber. At 10:10 HQ we were frantically doing the same. In the end, MPs turned up in their droves, including one who came back from paternity leave especially!
In the end it worked and we won the two votes: an amazing 123 MPs voted to close the debate (basically saying they’d heard enough and were ready to take a stance on the bill), with the motion itself being passed with a majority of 82 votes. You can watch the full debate here and read the Hansard transcript of the debate here.
There’s still plenty of work to be done to make lighter evenings a reality but right now I want to thank you all so very much for your support in making this victory happen. Today’s is the biggest development on this issue for decades, and only with your herculean efforts have we been able to make Lighter Later a reality. Time after time, MPs on the floor referenced your emails, letters and calls in support of the bill as what persuaded them to vote yes today.
I’d also quickly like to thank Rebecca Harris MP and her team for their amazing work, the rest of the Lighter Later coalition and finally the team here: Sion, Maddy, Suki, Mal, Robin and John, and all at 10:10 – who have been working around the clock over the last few weeks.
