carry weight

“While we celebrate this progress, there is still work to be done and we realize if you were a crime victim these numbers may not carry weight. We hear you,” McDonnell said in a statement.

"But because Yoon is the president, his words carry weight, and many people have accepted what he said."

A dying declaration carries weight in court and legal experts say it is generally enough for conviction, unless contradicted by other evidence.

Downing Street said Champion's opinion "absolutely" carried weight given her extensive experience of the issue, but added that taking action on recommendations from a previous inquiry took priority.

Brown stood down as MP in 2015 so will not get a vote but his voice still carries weight in the Labour Party.