Politicians swapping parties

[Neilds]

In the current climate when politicians are banging on about respecting democracy etc, why is it that they are able to just swap parties when things don’t go their way? The voters voters for xxx party and then the MP swaps so they are now represented by yyy party- how is this right? One MP is now on her 3rd party this year!

 

[Robin Hood]

Just like professional footballers !
When does the transfer window close ?
Probably when Boris calls a general election ?

 

[CliveW]

Surely this reflects on the big headedness of our MPs. They are so full of themselves and think that the electorate voted for them rather than the party they represent. If they no longer believe in the policies of their party they should stand down and force a by-election, but they would rather change sides to keep their salaries and expenses.

 

[Taz]

Should be an automTic bye election.

 

[IanM]

Should be an automatic bye election.

Absolutely. No problem with folk swapping parties, free choice, but having been elected wearing one rosette, if fired from Party or swap, that should immediately trigger an election.

MPs don't have the integrity to do it, although i understand an MP is tabling a motion about this.

 

[Old Skier]

Sarah Wollaston MP for Totnes made a speech in HOC advocating that MPs should automatically be subject to a by-election when they swap parties - guess what, that obviously didn't apply to her. Shows the true colours of today's politicians yet we, the electorate, vote the same ones back in.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I guess it depends on if you are voting for the party or the person and their ideas ?

If someone believes a party doesn’t follow their principles then they should be free to move but then there needs to be a By Election

What happens when people are “sacked” from a party

 

[Old Skier]

I guess it depends on if you are voting for the party or the person and their ideas ?

If someone believes a party doesn’t follow their principles then they should be free to move but then there needs to be a By Election

What happens when people are “sacked” from a party

Doesn't the person stand supporting the manifesto and policies of a particular party. If they don't wish to support those policies they should stand as an independent.

 

[Taz]

Absolutely. No problem with folk swapping parties, free choice, but having been elected wearing one rosette, if fired from Party or swap, that should immediately trigger an election.

MPs don't have the integrity to do it, although i understand an MP is tabling a motion about this.

Would be like me being a Charlton supporter being tolð I was now following Palace

 

[Deleted member 18645]

Anna Soubry was quoted a couple of weeks back about the likes of Boris not showing enough balls or integrity. But naturally it not apply to her calling a by-election when she changed parties.
Total hypocrits the lot of them.

 

[Old Skier]

Would be like me being a Charlton supporter being tolð I was now following Palace

Lose - Lose situation, not only should you be barred from any form of public office, you need sectioning

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If constituents voted for individuals on the basis of their beliefs and values then I wouldn't have that much of an issue with an MP switching sides - but in truth we don't. We vote for them mostly on the basis of their party.

But our unwritten constitution and Erskine May allow switching sides to happen. And that - like much or most of our unwritten constitution - has developed from a parliament of two parties - Whigs/Liberals and Conservatives when the prospect of an MP swapping sides was pretty much a never - Liberals were Liberals - Conservatives were Conservatives. End of.

Changed days as the nature and policies of the parties blow about in a populist wind.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Sarah Wollaston MP for Totnes made a speech in HOC advocating that MPs should automatically be subject to a by-election when they swap parties - guess what, that obviously didn't apply to her. Shows the true colours of today's politicians yet we, the electorate, vote the same ones back in.

Was a law created to make this have to apply to her?
No!
So why should she do it, if no one else does or has too?

 

[Old Skier]

Was a law created to make this have to apply to her?
No!
So why should she do it, if no one else does or has too?

Perhaps out of a sense of honour as she spoke so strongly in favour - oh wait, she's an MP, do as I say, not as I do.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Shouldn’t be allowed, they should be made to resign, join who they like and then a by-election should be held.

 

[woody69]

Because British Democracy is representative parliamentary democracy. Understanding this concept is fundamental to any discussion on democracy in the UK.

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion … Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests, which interests each must maintain, as an agent and advocate, against other agents and advocates; but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. You choose a member indeed; but when you have chosen him, he is not member of Bristol, but he is a member of parliament.' Edmund Burke's Speech to the Electors of Bristol, 3 Nov. 1774.

'The first duty of a member of Parliament is to do what he thinks in his faithful and disinterested judgement is right and necessary for the honour and safety of Great Britain. His second duty is to his constituents, of whom he is the representative but not the delegate. Burke's famous declaration on this subject is well known. It is only in the third place that his duty to party organization or programme takes rank. All these three loyalties should be observed, but there in no doubt of the order in which they stand under any healthy manifestation of democracy.' Sir Winston Churchill on the Duties of a Member of Parliament

 

[Foxholer]

Doesn't the person stand supporting the manifesto and policies of a particular party. If they don't wish to support those policies they should stand as an independent.

They may do when they stand, but details of manifesto policies may emerge that become unconscionable - to them - as has obviously been what has happened with the Tory 'rebels'.

Btw. The voting paper lists candidates as <Name...Party> not the other way around! So while many 'vote along Party lines', it's actually the candidate that is elected, not the Party. If a GE was based on Party rather than Person, there would be little/no need ror candidates, as the winning Party could simply appoint someone AFTER victory!

 

[Old Skier]

They may do when they stand, but details of manifesto policies may emerge that become unconscionable - to them - as has obviously been what has happened with the Tory 'rebels'.

Btw. The voting paper lists candidates as <Name...Party> not the other way around! So while many 'vote along Party lines', it's actually the candidate that is elected, not the Party. If a GE was based on Party rather than Person, there would be little/no need ror candidates, as the winning Party could simply appoint someone AFTER victory!

But you are hoping that the candidate will uphold the policies and pledges made by them on behalf of the party, if the manifesto/policies change then I still feel, and it's only my opinion, the person should be subject to a by-election and then the constituents can decide if they still wish the person to carry on because they agree with the decision. If the public feel that the person has been doing a good job and can still be affective then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If the party didn't matter it would not be on the ballot paper. They are inextricably linked when people put their X in the box.

 

[Taz]

Lose - Lose situation, not only should you be barred from any form of public office, you need sectioning

but I am a Charlton supporter