One MP in Parliament is assigned the job of the white gloved traffic-officer, standing on Parliament’s metaphorical intersection and waving through some legislation and pausing other bills.
Leader of the House (LOTH) is a tricky task with lots of tactics and considerations. You can listen to an interview with the LOTH Chris Hipkin’s adjutant for details.
Or you can listen to him chatting through what will be in the House this week.
Labour MP Chris Hipkins in the House Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Some weeks the Leader of the House is shepherding through vital and fascinating legislation, but many weeks the herding is of bills that the public may not notice. Arguably there’s quite a lot of that this week.
There will be some highlights though, including on Tuesday a new bill that aims to curb loan sharks, and on Thursday, a delayed debate over the funding for Parliament’s own watchdogs.
But in weeks like this sometimes the point of interest is what doesn’t happen. And the efforts MPs will go to to make sure it doesn’t. The bill that won’t appear is the End of Life Choice Bill which is on the order paper for Member’s Day on Wednesday, but hasn’t a prayer of getting a debate this week.
