To think millions of people are about to be disenfranchised and to feel so powerless

[theduchessstill]

Apologies if there is already a thread about this; I couldn't see one.

I am appalled by the move to end remote participation in parliament and online voting, which will have the impact of seriously limiting the amount of MPs who can participate at a time when scrutiny and debate are more crucial than they have ever been.

i can't believe there isn't more uproar about it tbh. There's no real government condemnation of Trump's reaction to events over there because we're about to crash out of the EU and want a deal with him, the Covid 'strategy', such as it was has completely fallen apart and now parliament is about to be stymied. What is happening to this country and aibu to feel pretty hopeless and terrified atm?

[Porcupineinwaiting]

YANBU but chances are the ramifications will hardly register with most people until it's too late.

[CendrillonSings]

Disenfranchised? The government won a landslide a few months ago. Even if every single MP makes it to Parliament, the Opposition ain’t winning any votes!

[XDownwiththissortofthingX]

Absolutely baffling that in 2020 we still rely on the absurdity of the archaic Westminster system.

[theduchessstill]

At least someone's happy Cendrillion. Glad you find the diminishing of our global status and damage to our democracy a source of amusement and glee.

Can't believe the apathy

[WhentheRabbitsWentWild]

lol

ONE person disagrees with you and its apathy .

[theduchessstill]

Well, yes because there aren't many replies so presumably lack of interest,which implies apathy..

[Havanananana]

Well over 70% of the population is disenfranchised by the 'First Past The Post' system of voting for MPs. The UK is one of only two countries in the EU that does not have some form of proportional representation.

The Conservatives won an 80-seat Parliamentary majority based on getting 40% of the votes cast by 70% of the electorate - so only about 28% of the electorate actually voted for the Conservatives. The other 71% voted for a different party, or didn't vote at all. Over 3 million more working adults in the UK had no vote at all, as they are not British citizens - that means that just under 10% of all taxpayers pay tax but have no representation.

[Mumratheevergiving]

It's appalling but as I now have zero faith in the competence or accountability of the current Central Government after Covid Cummings cover-up it comes as no surprise. They need to be more accountable over the decisions that they are taking rather than less. This is going to be a low point in British politics when they write the history books.

[BirthdayCakes]

Agree with runrunrunrunt

I actually didn't know about this OP so thanks for starting this thread..

[attackedbycritters]

It won a landslide number of seats but was some way off having a landslide victory in terms of how many people voted for them

Since then they have upset quite a number of their MPs who find their constituents opinions at odds with the government and government support has declined

We are in the middle of a national crisis, one that may put MPs families or themselves at increased risk, leaving MPs to make difficult personal choices

Indeed OP , the last thing they should be doing is making it difficult for MPs to fully participate

[Hingeandbracket]

@Havanananana 100% agree FPTP is utterly wank

[ShinyFootball]

YANBU at all it's on the news now.

It means those MPs who can't travel to parliament (childcare, live a long way away, shielding, self isolating) cannot vote.

This will naturally affect those who live a long way from London, are pregnant, vulnerable, childcare etc more than the others.

Leaving us with a parliament of people who are not in those groups, which will have obvious ramifications.

I can't believe anyone thinks this is ok in any way at all

[ShinyFootball]

It is fundamental that all MPs can vote.

Anyone has happy to chuck that away is bananas imo

[theduchessstill]

Why is there nothing that can be done? That's what I don understand. Just feels like the system is falling apart.

[Pepperwort]

There is something that could be done: remote voting could be reinstated. The system is not just falling apart - it is being torn apart, by the people who are most supposed to protect it. God knows it isn't perfect, but these people in power now are the same people who have blocked improvements time and again. They've even made the concept of discussing improvements into a social gaffe.

[FlamedToACrisp]

If I understand correctly what you mean (and I didn't know they had remote voting in the first place, but I think it's a good idea) then surely this is likely to result in disadvantaging Scottish MPs, and by extension, Scottish voters? (and, let's be honest, Labour voters!) It feels like a nasty Conservative trick rather than a reasoned decision. What's the supposed rationale behind it?

[BlackberryCane]

What this is actually about is the Tories have noted how badly Boris Johnson has been shown up by Keir Starmer at recent PMQs. They think if he's got more of his MPs behind him braying, it won't be quite so obvious how badly he's getting spanked, and preventing dozens of MPs from doing the things their constituents elected them to do is acceptable in pursuit of this goal.

It's not likely to change the result of many votes with an 80 majority, but they hope it will be very significant in making the MP look less buffoonish when he's toyed with by a QC. Important to be clear on that.

[corythatwas]

There is something that could be done: remote voting could be reinstated. The system is not just falling apart - it is being torn apart, by the people who are most supposed to protect it.

This.

Disenfranchised? The government won a landslide a few months ago.

You know, the way democracy is supposed to work is not winning an election once and for all and then we preserve the result in embalming fluid forever after. There is supposed to be an ongoing robust debate, with an opposition able to hold the government to account and challenge their decisions throughout. Otherwise democracy is seriously eroded.

[theduchessstill]

Yes totally agree a big motive is to stop Johnson looking so exposed. How shameful that thousands of constituents are to be denied representation in an attempt to mask his inadequacy.

[chergar]

It is worrying, and the fact that MPs have to actually go to Westminster to cast their vote on this issue is absurd. A Conservative MP was just on the news there saying he cannot vote as he is shielding, he has asked if proxy voting could be implemented.

Three nations of the UK still have stay at home orders in place so Westminster is undermining these governments as well.

[MarshaBradyo]

Why have they changed it?

[AKissAndASmile]

They're asking people to work from home if you can and yet are banning online voting? It is so transparent why they are doing this.

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

@runrunrunrunt

*"CendrillonSings you're a dick. A thick one."
🤣What, and your answer shows how intelligent and articulate you are? People only resort to insults without accompanying argument and debate when they don't have anything of interest to say.

[MaxNormal]

Disenfranchised? The government won a landslide a few months ago. Even if every single MP makes it to Parliament, the Opposition ain’t winning any votes!

You've just invalidated every future point you make, ever, with that spectacularly thick statement.