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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:

BettyUnderswoob · 20/02/2019 18:37

Ii agree It’s not as simple as voting for the person; in a GE you’re voting with a view to seeing the government and PM you want too, so it’s very dependent on the party.

I remember my MP defected to another party when I was about 18. I was furious! I’d not have voted for them if I’d known they’d move from my preferred party.

AppleKatie · 20/02/2019 18:37

60k a year is the tip of the iceberg for most of them. They don’t do it for the money.

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.

This for me. They probably will fail, there remains very little alternative to the two main parties but at present they are both dreadful options and I couldn’t bring myself to vote for either at the moment.

BoneyBackJefferson · 20/02/2019 18:40

What the country needs is an AV PR voting system with NOTA getting rid of FPTP.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Politics

BerensteinBear · 20/02/2019 18:42

I hope En Marche! is not replicated or emulated here,as a pp has mentioned. We certainly don't need a Macron wannabe over here.

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 18:47

They wouldn't want to lose that £60k a year.

I always think this is a ridiculous argument. Chuka Umunna and Anna Sourbry could earn a lot more outside parliament if that was that aim.

SmarmyMrMime · 20/02/2019 18:51

Normally I'm irked when an MP switches from one party to another and think it is disingenuous that they switch alligience when most of the electorate vote on party lines be it permanent habit or floating voters.

However in this case, at this stage they are representing their constituencies as independents, not technically affliated to another party. Sourby is the one I know of best as she's quite local and she hasn't changed her stance on what she's been vocal about in recent years. In a firmly Leave constituency, she won't stand much chance of being re-elected with her Remain preferences. Which way Broxtowe would react and vote in a by-election, I'm not sure.

Currently 11 by-elections would be massively politically destabilising when that is equal to the Lib Dems and greater than the DUP which is essential to support the government's minority rule.

ZenNudist · 20/02/2019 18:55

Are you a Labour stooge?

This in spades. Id support my MP if she did this but not much chance.

Original poster

ScorpiaForCatra · 20/02/2019 19:01

Are you a Labour stooge?

Who me?

I'm not a stooge for any party and have no affiliation or support for any of them or any individual MP.

OP posts:

BoneyBackJefferson · 20/02/2019 19:11

ZenNudist

Given the state of the government and the opposition + Brexit and the difference these changes could make (as SmarmyMrMime pointed out), I'm not sure why it would make the OP a labour stooge.

SellFridges · 20/02/2019 19:15

The vast majority of MP’s would be earning a lot more than £60k outside of parliament. I earn almost that and I’m nowhere near as pressured as they are.

Anyway, it’s a frequent misunderstanding of our voting system - you don’t vote for a party or a Prime Minister. You vote for an individual candidate who may, or may not, subscribe to a party’s policies.

DpWm · 20/02/2019 19:16

At the end of the day these people know their careers in politics are finished.
They'd rather do something like this, use the independent status to build connections so they end up with somewhere to go in the private (or charity) sector, and retain press relationships, rather than be seen as failed politicians (which is what they are).

DpWm · 20/02/2019 19:18

They all know come election time they're finished in politics. They are simply jumping before they're pushed.

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 20/02/2019 19:29

They wouldn't want to lose that £60k a year
Isn't Anna Soubry a barrister?

I think it's a good move for British politics. The 2 main parties are paralysed right now and failing. Most party members might agree with the ERG and Momentum - but I don't think most voters do.

TBH I am amazed any MPs are ready to stick their heads above the parapet after what happened to Jo Cox. Between Brexit and the government the political discourse is toxic at the moment. Things need to change.

ConorMcGregorsChin · 20/02/2019 20:38

I'm really confused by those saying you vote for the person, not the party.
Surely you vote for the party that best represents your interests in their manifesto.
(Yes, I understand that it's the person within your constituency that you actually vote for - but it has to come down to the values they represent in the party as a whole)
I've taken Political compass tests in the past and it's always based on my views. Not wether I prefer Marjorie or Dave...

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 20:58

I'm really confused by those saying you vote for the person, not the party.

It could be that you’ve misunderstood how our system works. It is in practice a combination of both.

MuseumofInnocence · 20/02/2019 21:02

In practice there have been MPs elected on very local and personal issues.

E.g. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Taylor_(British_politician)

Aridane · 20/02/2019 21:11

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3512809-MPs-leaving-their-party-how-come-they-keep-their-seats

I started a thread on this earlier today/ and was told by a number of posters that we vote for individuals, not parties

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3512809-MPs-leaving-their-party-how-come-they-keep-their-seats

Prometheus · 20/02/2019 21:17

I vote for my local Labour MP because she is a good female role model with similar ideals to my own. She also works hard in the local community and is better than candidates from other parties. However I would hate to see Corbyn as PM. So it isn't always as simple as voting for the party.

ConorMcGregorsChin · 20/02/2019 21:44

Yes. So we vote for a combination of party / person.

A bit like in life. When you choose your friemds.
Like I choose to think some of my friends and neighbours who voted Leave may have done so under misguidence.
Like my next door neighbour, who, when I asked "Did you vote for Nigel in the last election?"
She replied "Nooooo I voted for UKIP"
So we both have our points / opinions.

twofingerstoEverything · 21/02/2019 11:31

(That's going very well, Frogside.)
Disgusting comment, Millytant.

twofingerstoEverything · 21/02/2019 11:36

Shouldn't they be stepping down and letting their seat be voted for again?
No. That's now how our voting system works.

Obviouspretzel · 21/02/2019 12:35

@twofingerstoeverything

It might not be how the system works as in they don't technically have to but it certainly is how the system works in reality. Hardly anyone votes for an individual without party politics coming into it. Otherwise why would a party issue a manifesto?

People mainly vote for that individual as a member of that party. I believe they should call a by election so that they can check that the people of their constituency have confidence in them as an independent.

cucumbergin · 21/02/2019 12:47

Does anyone remember if Labour demanded that Jared O'Mara and Frank Field step down for a by-election?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_O%27Mara

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Field_(British_politician)

Hmm no, sounds like Corbyn was "concerned for O'Mara's welfare" so Labour even continued to support him although he'd resigned from Labour?

cucumbergin · 21/02/2019 12:58

Wow, there's a lot more "movement" between parties and/or to independent status than I'd realised: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_politicians_who_have_crossed_the_floor#2001%E2%80%932005_Parliament

But going back as far as the 1980s, it looks like in all that time only two MPs have ever resigned and triggered a by-election after switching party? Did I miss any?

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