Voter power

Today in the House of Commons Douglas Carswell was due to introduce his ten minute rule bill.

If he wins sufficient support there will be a great return of power from parties locally and nationally to where it belongs, - the electors.

The bill allows for the provision of "elector recall". This would mean that at any time if the stipulated minimum number of electors signed for it there would be a by-election in the constituency. The sitting MP would theoretically be able to stand for re-election against other candidates. The minimum would have to be set fairly high, say 30% or 40% of electors.

The importance of this is that in any election, even a relative landslide like 1997, 70% of sitting MPs are returned. They are in "safe" seats. Carswell's bill would change this.

At the moment the sitting incumbent has to retain the support of his senior party management locally, and nationally, and so long as the party is not disliked intensely he will be re-elected.

The bill means that MPs who have been poor constituency MPs, or have offended in something like the expenses scandal, could be called to electoral account at any time. It would also deter party headquarters from pitchforking into a safe seat favourite potential candidates who were unwanted by the local electors.

It would make all MPs, even ministers, aware that they cannot ignore their electors. They would have to respond to their wishes or the implied threat.

If the provision became law, and was added to the other proposal of Carswell and Hannan in their book "The Plan"- open primaries, then a small coterie of party officials and central office would lose much of their power to impose candidates on local parties. It would also give electors the power to decide candidates and also to remove them after unsatisfactory performance.

All power to your elbow, Douglas Carswell!