Will Tories rebel again over the lobbying bill?

MPs will vote on the second reading of the unpopular lobbying bill at around 7pm. It has not had a particularly enjoyable introduction to the Commons this afternoon, with attacks from Labour and nervous questions from Coalition MPs worried about its effect on innocent charities. Some Tory MPs – including Douglas Carswell – intend to vote against the second reading, but from conversations I’ve had with backbenchers this afternoon, it looks as though a bigger rebellion will come on the programme motion, which puts the bill into a committee of the whole house (good) but with a guillotine – or time limit – for debate (bad). The reason the guillotine is bad is that it stops proper consideration of the bill, cutting the number of opportunities to iron out flaws. A few Tory MPs are also considering supporting Graham Allen’s motion delaying the legislation as well. In the debate, David Davis told Angela Eagle that ‘I rather agree with her’ that the bill was being pushed through the House with ‘excessive haste’, and asked whether the Opposition would vote against the guillotine.