Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill

Indeed. We are coming to the end of the rather truncated process of deliberation on the Bill in this House, but my hon. Friend makes a powerful point in underlining our concerns about this part of the legislation. We are concerned about democracy. We like to say that this is the mother of Parliaments and to regard Britain as a beacon of democracy in the world, and it concerns me enormously that so many people—ourselves included—believe that the Bill will take us backwards rather than forwards by undermining the principles and relationships that are fundamental to our concept of modern society.