Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How come those MPs aren't stepping down?

49 replies

ScorpiaForCatra · 20/02/2019 17:13

Those MPs that have quit labour and Conservatives were voted for by their constituents based in them being a member of a certain party, they're not in the party anymore so they're no longer who the people voted for.

Does that make sense?
Shouldn't they be stepping down and letting their seat be voted for again?

OP posts:
BoneyBackJefferson · 20/02/2019 17:24

You would have thought so.

But it rarely happens that way. I have very little respect for politicians anyway and this is one of the many (many) many reasons why.

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 17:38

I guess there are several reasons, but they have two arguments.

  1. In the UK, you vote for a candidate, not for a party, so they are the same person their constituents voted for. That might not be how in practice people see it, but it is the way it is. Take the example of Winston Churchill. He was elected in 1924 as a member of the "Independent Constitutionalist anti-Socialist" party, and when elected, re-joined the Conservative Party.
  2. They are making the argument that it is not them that is changing, but the parties, who are shifting towards the extreme positions.
DioneTheDiabolist · 20/02/2019 17:44

No, I don't think they should step down. Their parties have shifted to the extremes. I have great respect for them and think they should be applauded for their actions.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Politics
ginghambox · 20/02/2019 17:46

In Sourbrys case she would be out on her arse if there was a by-election, less than a 900 vote majority in a constituency with a 55% leave vote.

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 17:52

I do think that broadly we get the politicians we deserve. If you asked most people, I think they would probably agree wholeheartedly that our MPs whom we select should not simply be beholden to and slaves of their party, yet many get offended when MPs such as these actually do behave as individuals.

GemmeFatale · 20/02/2019 17:54

You vote for the person not the party. It’s a fairly simple concept

Original poster
ScorpiaForCatra · 20/02/2019 17:54

It's all so odd and the state of politics right now is chaotic. Other countries probably think we're a joke.

OP posts:
MillytantForceit · 20/02/2019 17:56

Chukka is bezzies with Macron and wants to start a British En Marche!

(That's going very well, Frogside.)

Idontmeanto · 20/02/2019 17:57

I’m very grateful for politicians who are willing to take this step. We need more of them!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 20/02/2019 17:59

No I don’t think they should stand down. I think they should make it clear what they stand for and stand for that in the next general election. I also think it’s progressive politics and good on those 11 so far to possibly give up their careers on the slither of possibility another party might just give the populace what it wants. Good for them.

LuckyMarmiteLover · 20/02/2019 17:59

Let’s hope it’s not too little too late

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 18:00

I'm also broadly supportive of this group. I don't know how successful they will be, but I think this country desperately needs cross-party, pragmatic, centrist leadership, and it is not getting from Labour or the Conservatives.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 20/02/2019 18:00

Quite Idontmeanto

Stopwoofing · 20/02/2019 18:07

They will stand for election soon enough and hopefully have mobilised some resources by then. I’d leaflet for them.

BollocksToBrexit · 20/02/2019 18:12

I don't think it's necessarily a case of voting for the party. I voted for my MP because prior to standing as an MP he was a local councillor who did tons of campaigning and work to improve our community. I think people would vote for him whatever party he stood for because they have faith in him.

BoneyBackJefferson · 20/02/2019 18:13

GemmeFatale

But you vote for the person based on the party they represent, so bot as simple as you pretend.

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 18:17

But you vote for the person based on the party they represent, so bot as simple as you pretend.

In practice, it is clearly a mixture of both, but because it is a mixture of both, does not mean the MPs should call a by-election. We live in a parliamentary representative democracy, where we elect individuals, not parties.

BerensteinBear · 20/02/2019 18:21

Chuka reminds me very much of that snake oil salesman Tony Blair.

BoneyBackJefferson · 20/02/2019 18:24

MuseumofInnocence

Even so on the ballot it states the person and the party. And many people vote for the party not the person.

SheWoreBlueVelvet · 20/02/2019 18:24

But you don’t get the choice of two Labour / Conservative candidates on the ballot paper. So you are voting for the party not the person really.

ForalltheSaints · 20/02/2019 18:25

You vote for a person who stands on a party label. No need to stand down.

BerensteinBear · 20/02/2019 18:30

Let's face it, the real reason why they won't hold a by-election is that they would probably lose their seats.

Original poster
ScorpiaForCatra · 20/02/2019 18:31

I'd say you're ultimately right Berentstein
They wouldn't want to lose that £60k a year.

OP posts:
BerensteinBear · 20/02/2019 18:32

Scorpia
Plus all those expenses and allowances!

HexagonalBattenburg · 20/02/2019 18:33

Believe me, as a constituent of the ghastly woman - I'd love the chance to get Soubry out - but since labour keep putting a guy up with the entire manifesto of "I'm not Soubry" it's been hard to swing that one.