Your current MP

[GloGirl]

Check up on their voting record here by putting in your postcode

www.theyworkforyou.com

So easy to get bored by the rhetoric politicians give, this site gives a very easy run down on how they actually vote.

If you're thinking about reelecting someone, just double check their actions.

My local MP is a right arsehole by all accounts!

In your case DrHarleen, the site won't help you make your mind up for this GE as your MP isn't standing for reelection. Hague stayed on till the end of Parliament and was active to the last day so that site can at least give you his full record for interest's sake if nothing else!

Mine is a safe Tory seat. My MP voted for every benefit cut going, and strongly too. He also voted for selling off the national forests (he owns a lot of forested land...) and letting bankers keep their bonuses without being taxed. He is hardline rightwing, anti-homosexual and voted to allow various laws which exploit low paid workers to remian in place and yet when questioned, attempts to come over all lovely and liberal. My area is full of exploited low paid workers and he is always going ona bout how he supports them. I am splurging his true voting patterns all over the place, but he will still get elected, it's such a safe seat. Lots of farmers.

I am confused. How can someone vote "very strongly" or "moderately" or whatever, as it says on that site. Isn't a vote just yes or no?

The information on Theyworkforyou is taken from Hansard, the Official Record, so hardly made up! Naughty MP claiming otherwise. Some people really don't like their words and deeds being held up to public scrutiny do they?

It's independent of Parliament but full-text Hansard is available online on the Parliament website and Theyworkforyou has developed greatly in recent years to provide links to the primary source and make use of the info there.

Safe Tory seat. Our MP spent a morning in my classroom in a tiny rural school as part of a global 'Every Child Has A Right To An Education' petition.
The children wrote to him and we got a reply from the House of Commons. He didn't need to come but he did and was very quiet and charming. I'm not particularly Tory though.

It isn't as simple as yes and no Laura as each issue on the site is made up of smaller issues that an MP may or may not vote for, so if they vote for some parts and not others it may come out as moderate. They can also abstain on parts as well which will effect the overal result for that issue.

I hope that makes sense!

Ah, OK, thank you!

Laura, I think they look at how a Member has voted each time a particular subject has come up - there may have been several votes on various aspects of a topic, or during the passage of a Bill for example. Voting strongly in a certain direction may be taken to imply total consistency throughout.

It's important to remember that if a Member appears inconsistent it may be that other topics have been bundled into a vote, or that they feel strongly enough about an issue to vote against something which appears to favour it as they believe the legislation isn't strong enough or is flawed in some way... It's a rough tool but helpful when bearing in mind the background.

Or what Becca said! more quickly than me :)

elephant I really couldn't believe what I was hearing. What's worse is a lot of people believe them [anger] and of course those who say otherwise are anti his party.

Along with the fake newspapers that are being put through the door every week - those really wind me up as people like my elderly neighbour believes the election has already been won by my MP as the 'county newspaper' says so (the 'county newspaper' that has been produced and printed by my MP according to the size two print on the back page) and keeps quoting from it about all the evils of the other parties and they are not alone in that. I'm really [anger] with my MP, can't wait to get rid!!!

Of course the worry is there are more people in my county like my neighbour and others who believe the MP about theyworkforyou.com and, more importantly, the rubbish in the 'county newspaper' and they will retain their seat.

Oh, the fake newspapers, they are shocking in their duplicity.

We had a particularly interesting one this week where the bar charts and graph and statements were based on a tiny poll taken in October! Nice use of figures there folks.

I've been reading Hansard on an almost daily basis for work for 8 years - woe betide the candidate or candidate's rep who comes to my door trying to flannel their way to my vote!

My current MPs 'team' walk straight past me now if they see me on the street or past where I live! The last time one came to see me and told me about theyworkforyou - yes that's part of their campaign strategy to say it's all lies and offer me a 'free newspaper' I told them where to stick it not something I usually do but ours has just gone too far during this term for me.

I couldn't believe the newspapers were even legal. Ours had polls in and pictures of people on the street supporting the MP who work in their office-.

I've met people who couldn't understand why they aren't voting for a party leader to be PM on their ballot paper.

I've also had the following conversation more times than I'd like to have had -
Member of public - Who's my MP please?
Me - x person, x party
Member of public - oh no, I don't hold with x party, who's my y party MP?
Me - you don't have more than one MP, x party hold the seat in your constituency
Member of public -

I think that people are becoming better educated on how Parliament works but it's far from being universal. Increased transparency and public engagement are key to enabling voters to see when they are having the wool pulled over their eyes. Websites like this one are an excellent source.

To be honest I expected the same when I first went to vote, and when I first needed a MPs help I expected to be turned away as I definitely didn't agree with their politics - I was pleasantly surprised obviously this wasn't at any point in the past five years!

Education is needed and transparency is definitely a good thing, though it's suprising how many people haven't heard of theyworkforyou.com (Ive told as many as I can)

First time I voted, I basically followed my parents' voting pattern. I wonder how many people do that?

Wised up a bit now though.

Mine was largely as expected, a couple of intriguing ones in there, but without digging into it wouldn't know if there were other issues bundled in/the exact nature of it. But they weren't on the issues I feel massively strongy about, so I probably won't dig

Last time I had to do a quick summary of how the voting system works for my housemate. Whilst we were queuing to vote. Better education is most definitely needed!

Mine is Jeremy Cunt, so I can guess how he votes on things.

Oh dear, I appear to have made a spelling error.

That was so interesting.

My MP is generally seen as a good local MP and will more than likely win here although not 100% certain.

I was shocked to see some of the votes but he voted with his party. He voted in favour of same sex marriage but also in favour of some quite substantial welfare cuts/caps. I agree with some of the suggested caps - but not to that extent.

Thank you OP for a really useful site link

I raise you shitty faux newspapers with a fake tory trash mag that came through my letter box a couple of weeks ago.

You can see it's Conservative because it says it in 0.5 font size on the bottom right

Surely everyone takes the literature with a pinch of salt? If there is any doubt, i always turn it over to see who ahs piblished it. If I am honest, I get more annoyed with the Council one printed in Party colours than the Election ones, as I haven't funded the Election ones.

Only problem with this you don't have a record for their opponents who may well turn out to be worse! Call me a cynic.

Sigh it and has

I think it is misleading to rely on "hard facts" without knowledge of the wider context or the personality as a whole.eg my MP is a Scottish catholic and as such would and did vote against same sex marriage. I disagree with him on this but accept there are areas where his moral judgement differs from mine and areas where they overlap. He also votes against Trident and voted against some austerity measures. This does not in my eyes turn him into the SNP in disguise. I would go on but don't want to out my locality.