Dear John

Today is a sorry day for our democracy. The Elections Bill will receive royal assent, and the independent regulator of elections will be independent no more. 

We fought this Bill all the way - you and I - but it came to an end last night when amendments to the Bill, coordinated by Best for Britain, were rejected by the House of Lords. The amendments were rejected by 181 votes to 202 - just 21 votes short.

The Government used its new preferred strategy for pushing through legislation without the appropriate scrutiny. It denies our legislators the time to make proper informed decisions. This is an affront to democracy.

We are very very angry. The government rammed through the Bill, scheduling the votes late into the evening and up against the deadline of the end of Parliament before the Queen’s Speech.

Our amendments were passed by the Lords on Monday, but this week members of the unelected House were pressured to step aside and relinquish their opposition to the Bill, given the time limitations. Many did so, even while expressing serious concerns. 

This is your chance to tell your MP that you are disappointed with the government’s tactics and angry that Parliament has passed such dangerous new laws that reduce trust in the fairness of our elections.

But we are also energised. 

With your support and your tireless campaigning on this Bill, we have received concessions from the Government along the way: 

• Your support got the Minister to promise at the despatch box that protests would be allowed in Parliament Square, even under the new Policing Bill rules.
• Your support forced the government to remove parts of their Bill which would have given them power to ban types of campaigner from taking part in elections. 
• Your support meant they watered down their original proposals on the Electoral Commission last night, specifying that the Commission can deviate from the Strategy and Policy Statement imposed by Ministers in certain circumstances and prohibiting Ministers from directing the Commission on its investigatory powers.

These are your victories. Best for Britain supporters sent more than 45,000 messages to MPs, had letters published in local papers across the country, and supported Best for Britain’s research and direct lobbying work financially. 

The next 12 months bring major uncertainty: Will Johnson keep hold of No10? What will his regime do next to protect themselves from accountability? What other stories of rule-breaking are lurking in their closet? When will the next election take place?

Send a message to your MP now, so they know this isn’t done. Make sure your MP knows you won’t forget what has happened.

This is a setback, but we are not defeated - and neither is our democracy. We will keep going - and we are so grateful and proud to have you all with us along the way.

Naomi Smith
CEO, Best for Britain

P.S. As a new parliamentary session approaches, we know we will have more egregious legislation to tackle, as well as the fallout from this legislation just passed. Be part of the campaign, support the preparation and take part in the plan by becoming a regular supporter today.