Teresa Gorman: near the top of the ballot

Twenty Backbenchers Given Chance To Go Down In History

Twenty backbench MPs have been given a chance to go down in history. They have all been selected, by ballot, to submit Private Members' Bills. Michael Foster, the new Labour MP for Worcester is at the top of the list, giving him the best chance of having his proposals made into law.

Although twenty MPs are selected only the first six have a good chance of seeing their bills arrive on the statute books - the ultimate moment of glory in the otherwise hum drum life of a backbench MP.

For the rest, a busy Parliament, such as this one, may mean there is simply not enough time to give all the private member's bills a hearing.

Politicians at the top of the list are sure to face intense pressure from lobbying groups which have Bills already prepared and are looking for an MP to adopt their cause.

Mr Foster, who is not sure what sort of bill he is to introduce, has been hiding as best he can from determined lobbyists.

"It's come as a bit of a bolt out of the blue", he said. "That's why I'm going to take time over the next week or so to make sure I judge the whole measure very carefully and don't rush into it."

"I shall be taking time over the next week or so to discuss what is in the best interests of the City of Worcester and the people of this country because that is what I was elected here to Parliament to perform," he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme.

Animal rights groups are pressing for a ban on fox hunting. Mr Foster said he was considering such a measure, but had to weigh it against competing Bills.

David Coulthread, head of political affairs at the League Against Cruel Sports, said that around 10 of the 20 MPs on the list were anti-hunting. "We'll certainly be approaching all of them to introduce a Bill for the abolition of hunting with hounds," he said.

The other MPs at the top of the list, apart from Mr Foster are Dr Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, the Tory Euro-sceptic Teresa Gorman , former Transport Secretary Sir George Young, Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis and John Burnett, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Devon West and Torridge.