The early criticism and skepticism all but abated after several years of operation. I mean, it's not to say that there still might not be some dissenting voices out there, but by and large it was seen as an innovation that, no question, was an advantage and a help to the work of parliamentarians and to Parliament itself. In the case of the U.K., these e-petition debates, as Clerk Natzler said at your last meeting, are sometimes the most watched bits of Parliament that you're going to find, aside from some special committees from time to time at which there's controversy or something of that nature. In terms of general debates, it has the effect of bringing the public closer to the proceedings of Parliament.
On March 19th, 2019. See this statement in context.