Editing Early day motion

{{Short description|Motion in Westminster system parliaments}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

In the [[Westminster parliamentary system]], an '''early day motion''' ('''EDM''') is a [[motion (parliamentary procedure)|motion]], expressed as a single sentence,<ref name=ukp>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/edm|publisher =parliament.uk|title=Early day motions|access-date=3 Apr 2010}}</ref> [[table (parliamentary procedure)|tabled]] by [[member of Parliament|a member of Parliament]], which the Government (in charge of parliamentary business) has not yet scheduled for debate. 

==History and uses==
The name derives from the idea that an MP who tables one is calling for a debate on the topic covered by the motion to be held "on an early day". In practice, early day motions are rarely debated in the House, and their main purpose is to draw attention to particular subjects of interest. [[Minister (government)|Government ministers]], [[Whip (politics)|Whips]], [[Parliamentary Private Secretary|Parliamentary Private Secretaries]], the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] and Deputy Speakers do not normally sign EDMs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/guides/factsheets/procedure/p03/ |title=Early Day Motions Factsheet|publisher=House of Commons Information Office|date=June 2010|access-date=7 November 2015}} "Parliamentary Private Secretaries must not associate themselves with particular groups advocating special policies”.</ref> EDMs remain open for signature for the duration of the [[parliamentary session]].

EDMs can be tabled on matters ranging from trivial or humorous topics to those of great importance. The [[motion of censure|censure motion]] by which the Labour Government of [[James Callaghan]] [[1979 vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry|was ejected]] had its origin in an early day motion (no. 351 of 1978–79), put down on 22 March 1979, by [[Margaret Thatcher]].

MPs may ensure the text of an EDM is printed in [[Hansard]] by mentioning it by number in questions to the [[Leader of the House of Commons]] after the [[Business Statement]] (normally on a Thursday when the house is in session).

EDMs tabled on serious topics have included one demanding the release of [[Nelson Mandela]] when he was incarcerated in [[apartheid]] [[South Africa]], and one calling for a consultation on the fingerprinting of children in schools without parental permission.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2006-07/686
|title=EDM 686 - Biometric Data Collection In Schools
|date=2007-01-19
|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]
|access-date=2009-11-28}}
</ref> Shortly after the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], 412 of the 646 MPs signed EDM 178 calling for a [[Climate Change Act 2008|Climate Change Bill]];<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28373
|title=Early day motion 178 - Climate Change
|publisher=[[Michael Meacher]], MP
|date=2005-05-24
|access-date=2007-03-15
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113141314/http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28373
|archive-date=2006-01-13
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> only three other early day motions had ever been signed by more than 400 MPs.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.southhamsfoe.co.uk/node/168
 |title       = October update on the Climate Change Bill
 |publisher   = South Hams Friends of the Earth
 |date        = 2006-06-12
 |access-date  = 2007-03-15
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070324004623/http://www.southhamsfoe.co.uk/node/168
 |archive-date = 2007-03-24
}}</ref>

In the 2021-2022 Parliamentary session, an Early Day Motion which expressed support for WAVE Trust's 70/30 campaign to reduce child maltreatment by 70% by 2030 achieved the support of 151 Members of Parliament and, in doing so, became the most supported EDM of that particular session.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/58457|title=Giving every child the best start in life - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament|accessdate=29 March 2023}}</ref>

== Criticism ==
[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Robert Courts]] has been an outspoken critic of EDMs, describing them as "parliamentary graffiti." Courts has said that EDMs are generally tabled by MPs on behalf of "lobbyists or groups keen to show themselves as doing something", that they are "politically impotent" and a waste of taxpayers' money.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Early Day Motions|url=https://www.robertcourts.co.uk/early-day-motions|access-date=2019-08-21|website=Robert Courts|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Adjournment debate]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.parliament.uk/edm/ Early Day Motions Database]
*[http://www.edms.org.uk/ Volunteer run site with Early Day Motions re-presented and supplying raw data]

[[Category:Westminster system]]


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