Can I recall my MP?

[Workingman]

'Of course you can, you are one of his/her bosses, but.......... He or she will need to be given a jail sentence OR a prolonged ban from the Commons........ AND, and, another 9.999% of your fellow constituents agree.'

'So, the answer is "No" then?'

'Well, yes, but it will look as though you can.'

Hardly anybody attended the debate, and the proposal didn't even go for a vote, Parliament simply shooshed it through - democracy in action.

[Kaz]

What is this then Frank? xxx

[Workingman]

Sorry Kaz. A Bill, in its premliminary stages, sailed through parliament unopposed as all parties agree - that sounds like a good thing. It is supposed to make it easier for us voters to recall our MP if they are not giving us the service we desire. The problem is that the propsed rules will make the recall almost impossible because so few MPs are ever jailed or barred from the Commons for "a prolonged period", so in effect, nothing has changed. It is no wonder that it got through unopposed.

At least it wil be open to amendments, but Zac Goldsmiths motion, whereby 5% of constituents can issue "an intent" to recall an MP - for any reason - and which would then need 20% of voters to pass it, is unlikely to get through.

[Kaz]

Oh I see

[TheOstrich]

I agree, WM, the conditions being laid down are a bit of a farce; even Goldsmith's proposed amendment would, I feel, be difficult to see happening in practice.

There used to be a modicum of honour, that an MP would fall on their sword if their position became untenable, but we don't even see that these days ...

[Suff]

Ask an MP to do themselves down?

Hardly likely. This is what single issue parties are for. But we have to force a coalition to make a single issue party work for us. A dodgy proposition at best....

Perhaps we need a private members bill to enable the monarch to change the status of MP's at the request of a reasonable proportion of the population??? Might work better.