MPs that change party

[phil old leake]

If an MP is elected to parliament for any party and then throws their teddy out of the pram for any reason and decides to change should that trigger a by election

Obviously their constituents voted for them but with a large amount of safe seats it’s not the MP that is voted for it’s the party

Personally I think it should.  Parliament is meant to be about MPs sitting on behalf of the people who elected them not for themselves

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I always find this interesting.  He was cheered roundly today when he walked accross.

I'm not sure how his voting record, principles and comments on certain individuals go down all that well in the labour party, but apparently they do if it's worth scoring some points.

Kind of ironic that the guy who's done it today sponsored a proposed bill to force a by-election when members change party yet now labour have said there doesn't need to be one - interesting.

[aidanstu]

If an MP is elected to parliament for any party and then throws their teddy out of the pram for any reason and decides to change should that trigger a by election

Obviously their constituents voted for them but with a large amount of safe seats it’s not the MP that is voted for it’s the party

Personally I think it should.  Parliament is meant to be about MPs sitting on behalf of the people who elected them not for themselves

Would the same apply to a party that wins the election on manifesto pledges and then rebates on it after the election?

[drfchound]

If an MP is elected to parliament for any party and then throws their teddy out of the pram for any reason and decides to change should that trigger a by election

Obviously their constituents voted for them but with a large amount of safe seats it’s not the MP that is voted for it’s the party

Personally I think it should.  Parliament is meant to be about MPs sitting on behalf of the people who elected them not for themselves

Would the same apply to a party that wins the election on manifesto pledges and then rebates on it after the election?

That always happens mate.

[normal rules]

If i had voted for a particular party and they jumped ship I would not be best pleased.
That part of Bury has the largest Jewish community of anywhere in the North West. They voted Conservative for a reason. I cant imagine they are best pleased.
The disgruntled MP has made a rash decision here IMO.

[selby]

Aidandstu, how many governments would have been elected if the hadn't lied in their manifesto.
  Any that say we are stopping all congestion charges, we will throw away the key to the cell of anyone sitting in the middle of a highway, the ban on driving diesel and petrol cars will never be enacted, all the Green agenda will be put back until the year 3000, all illegal immigrants will be detained in holding centres at sea outside the UK borders and returned to their home country. Ex service personnel would get first pick in social housing in the areas they want to reside in, and all covid restrictions were to be stopped would have a very good chance of upsetting the apple cart if given the air time and exposure.

[normal rules]

I view manifestos like a wish list.
History shows that many, many party manifestos have been just that.

[wilts rover]

Current polling for Bury South puts Labour 16 points ahead - I doubt they would fear a bye-election there.

https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1483774997562900480

There is actually a Bill going through Parliament to allow a recall petition if an MP changes party - guess who backed it at First Reading!

[SydneyRover]

An MP who wanted to change parties could just vote against their own party and have the whip withdrawn, should a political party be unable to withdraw the whip as that is going against what the people voted for, no?

[aidanstu]

Aidandstu, how many governments would have been elected if the hadn't lied in their manifesto.
  Any that say we are stopping all congestion charges, we will throw away the key to the cell of anyone sitting in the middle of a highway, the ban on driving diesel and petrol cars will never be enacted, all the Green agenda will be put back until the year 3000, all illegal immigrants will be detained in holding centres at sea outside the UK borders and returned to their home country. Ex service personnel would get first pick in social housing in the areas they want to reside in, and all covid restrictions were to be stopped would have a very good chance of upsetting the apple cart if given the air time and exposure.

I understand that, when majorities are small, some more controversial commitments wouldn’t get through parliament; the fact is the Conservatives had a huge majority; lied throughout their campaign, misled the voters with their manifesto and ditched policies they could have quite easily got through parliament. How is there possibly an excuse for that?

This said if my local MP defected parties I would be highly annoyed and there should be a local election in the circumstances; it’s not great for democracy.

I don’t recall Conservatives moaning about it when 10 independents defected to their party in 2019 though.

[Branton Red]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

[drfchound]

 

[Axholme Lion]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Totally agree.

[BillyStubbsTears]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

[wilts rover]

Should you be allowed to change parties if the government are threatening to stop funding to your local football club (Bury FC) unless you do what they say?

[Bentley Bullet]

Should you allow your MP to change parties when the party he's leaving is going to fund his local football club?

[Axholme Lion]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

In most cases i think people vote for the party not the man. I would be interested to see the comments on here if a Labourite had joined the Tories....

[aidanstu]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

In most cases i think people vote for the party not the man. I would be interested to see the comments on here if a Labourite had joined the Tories....

What’s your view on 11 independents having joined the conservatives in 2019?

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

The changing of party can be valid occasionally. But he's disagreed with so much labour have said that it becomes quite a bizarre match.

[Bentley Bullet]

Let him have his 15 minutes of fame, he's tomorrows chip paper.

[Axholme Lion]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

11 independants?

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

In most cases i think people vote for the party not the man. I would be interested to see the comments on here if a Labourite had joined the Tories....

What’s your view on 11 independents having joined the conservatives in 2019?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Who was the most famous UK politician of the 20th century?

[BillyStubbsTears]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

In most cases i think people vote for the party not the man. I would be interested to see the comments on here if a Labourite had joined the Tories....

It would be very interesting. Especially since to the best of my knowledge, it has only happened once in more than 70 years.

[aidanstu]

MPs crossing the floor, regardless of party, is a real bugbear of mine. Who the hell do they think they are? Legally we vote for individuals but it is universally known most people vote for the party the individuals' represent - this is fundamental to how our democracy works in voting in governments.

If an individual has changed his/her politics then fine they should have the courage of their convictions and stand in a by election, justify their decision to the electorate and see if they are agreed with by the people who elected them in the first place.

Do you think an MP who votes against the whip of the party they stood for at the Election should be forced to stand for a by-election?

In most cases i think people vote for the party not the man. I would be interested to see the comments on here if a Labourite had joined the Tories....

It would be very interesting. Especially since to the best of my knowledge, it has only happened once in more than 70 years.

You’re right it’s happened once in that timeframe in 1977, Reg Prentice jumped ship.

[Ldr]

Who was the most famous UK politician of the 20th century?

Reginald maudling

[aidanstu]

Who was the most famous UK politician of the 20th century?

Churchill and even he came to his senses for a while and decided the Conservative Party want for him.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Who was the most famous UK politician of the 20th century?

Churchill and even he came to his senses for a while and decided the Conservative Party want for him.

Precisely. He crossed the House in 1906 and went back the other way in the 1920s.

The fundamentalists in here would call him a hypocrite who should have stood down and forced a by-election.

[aidanstu]

Who was the most famous UK politician of the 20th century?

Churchill and even he came to his senses for a while and decided the Conservative Party want for him.

Precisely. He crossed the House in 1906 and went back the other way in the 1920s.

The fundamentalists in here would call him a hypocrite who should have stood down and forced a by-election.

I think, for the sake of democracy, people who cross the house should expect a by election. In general people vote for the party and not the MP and it’s a dangerous game to play. The MP’s get elected on manifestos they support belonging to their party.

Don’t get me wrong as a socialist I’m pleased that he has left the tories but it isn’t good in consideration of the wider democratic issues.

[BillyStubbsTears]

But there's the other question I asked earlier.

If people vote for a party,  then presumably any MP who ever votes against his party's whip should be made to stand down and face a by-election?

[aidanstu]

But there's the other question I asked earlier.

If people vote for a party,  then presumably any MP who ever votes against his party's whip should be made to stand down and face a by-election?

But then if that happened what’s the point of having MPs that represent local communities at all?