Liz Truss will have chance to bring forward law change from Commons back benches

Liz Truss will have a chance to bring forward a law from the back benches of the House of Commons.

The Conservative former prime minister’s name was among the 20 MPs’ names drawn in the ballot to bring forward private members bills, which give backbenchers the chance to change the law, separate from the Government’s legislative agenda.

Ms Truss’s name was 18th among the names revealed, so there is no guarantee that her suggested bill will be debated in the Commons.

A spokesman for the former prime minister told the PA news agency she would “make an announcement about her bill in due course”.

Normally, only the first seven ballot bills will get a day’s debate and therefore have more chance of becoming law.

Labour MP Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central) came first in the ballot and will have top priority to bring forward a legislative proposal.

A total of 415 MPs entered this year’s ballot.

Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing drew numbered balls from a glass bowl to select at random the winning MPs.

There was added anticipation in the Westminster committee room where the draw took place as the Commons staff member dropped the final ball, leading to a pause before Ms Elliott’s name was announced.

Chris Elmore, the Labour MP for Ogmore, came second in the ballot, but said he had “no idea” yet about what he would focus his law-making efforts on.

Asked what his area of interests were, Mr Elmore said: “I do a lot of work around trying to manage and support young people using social media platforms in relation to bullying and online abuse.

“We have obviously seen legislation in the last year around the Online Safety Act, but I still think there are areas we could consider there.

“That will be one area of thought that I am going to give quite a bit of time to.”

The 20 successful MPs, in order of priority, are:

1. Labour MP Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central)
2. Labour MP Chris Elmore (Ogmore)
3. Conservative MP Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury)
4. Labour MP Wayne David (Caerphilly)
5. Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton Kemptown)
6. Conservative MP Selaine Saxby (North Devon)
7. Labour MP John Spellar (Warley)
8. Conservative MP Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South)
9. Conservative MP Anna Firth (Southend West)
10. Labour MP Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside)
11. Conservative MP Jonathan Lord (Woking)
12. Labour MP Sarah Champion (Rotherham)
13. Conservative MP Gareth Johnson (Dartford)
14. Labour MP Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West)
15. Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields)
16. DUP MP Gavin Robinson (Belfast East)
17. Labour MP Ruth Jones (Newport West)
18. Conservative former prime minister Liz Truss (South West Norfolk)
19. Conservative MP Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire)
20. SNP MP Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow North East)