Flint

[BillyStubbsTears]

And how do you listen to the wishes of 75,000 people AL?

[Axholme Lion]

And how do you listen to the wishes of 75,000 people AL?

He can't listen to everyone but he does ask which matters are of most concern to you. He is a good local MP who I would imagine gets a lot of votes regardless of which party he represents.

[BillyStubbsTears]

And, as I asked, how does he find out what are the matters of most concern to 75,000 people?

[Axholme Lion]

And, as I asked, how does he find out what are the matters of most concern to 75,000 people?

He sends out a letter and asks. I answered and he wrote back to me.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Right. Stop and do some numbers now AL.

There are typically 75,000 people in each constituency who vote.

Imagine if your MP had a single personal correspondence with every one of them each year, like he did with you. And imagine it took him 10 minutes to read your letter and compose a reply.

That would take him 750,000 minutes.

That equates to 34 hours a day for 365 days.

So, what actually happens is that he'll have, maybe a few dozen personal correspondences with a few dozen particularly vocal constituents. Which isn't really democracy in action, is it?

[Axholme Lion]

Right. Stop and do some numbers now AL.

There are typically 75,000 people in each constituency who vote.

Imagine if your MP had a single personal correspondence with every one of them each year, like he did with you. And imagine it took him 10 minutes to read your letter and compose a reply.

That would take him 750,000 minutes.

That equates to 34 hours a day for 365 days.

So, what actually happens is that he'll have, maybe a few dozen personal correspondences with a few dozen particularly vocal constituents. Which isn't really democracy in action, is it?

Well it works for me.

[selby]

  Well Billy at least the Tories realise the problem, the constituencies are too big, I am sure they will alter the boundaries in the next ten years, to their advantage of course,another 20 seats won't do them any harm.