TIMING OF BY-ELECTIONS

That this House welcomes the Electoral Commission's report into the conduct of the Glasgow North East by-election; notes that the decision by the Labour Party to delay moving the writ until after the summer recess resulted in the people of Glasgow North East being left without representation in the UK Parliament for 142 days; and calls for a review of the process by which by-elections are called with a view to adopting a statutory timetable as is the case in the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.