Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

My Lords, it has been a pleasure working with Members of this House given the thoughtfulness, experience and commitment to making a better Bill that they displayed at every stage of this Bill. Members on the opposition Front Benches have been a pleasure to work with. My noble friends have been loyal and faithful, demonstrating great stamina throughout the process. I am extremely grateful for the thorough and careful scrutiny that this Bill has been given. The Bill is simpler, clearer and improved from the process. I thank my noble friend Lord Judd for the generosity of what he said. It is my duty but also a great pleasure to listen and to be able to accommodate the improvements that noble Lords around this House have put forward. I am grateful. We send this little craft into the stormy seas of another place, but the craft is now more robust and more likely to survive. Although this is a relatively modest Bill by some standards, it is significant. It addresses the different ways in which the practice of both politics in its wider sense and democracy can operate in future. I am conscious that at this time there is a great deal of cynicism about both. Politics is an honourable craft and politicians honourable people. This Bill demonstrates that powerfully and opens opportunities for people to take part in community and national politics in a way that they have not been able to before. That is extremely important. I am grateful to the support of this House in enabling us to achieve that. I thank an outstanding Bill team, whose members have been extremely scrupulous, creative and flexible; they have given the greatest possible support to both me and my noble friend Lord Patel, who has assisted me beautifully and ably throughout the process of the Bill. I beg to move that this Bill do now pass.