AIBU to think defecting MPs should trigger a by-election?

MarshmallowFondant · 2022-01-19T13:09:33+00:00

Just watching the news to see a Conservative MP has "defected" and is now a Labour MP. How is this fair to the electorate of Bury South? Like it or not, the electorate there wanted a Tory MP. They had a Tory MP. Now, because the guy has defected. they now have a Labour MP and no choice but to put up with that until the next general election. It just seems unfair - whatever the parties involved. AIBU to think that if you're elected to represent a party, and then decide you no longer want to represent that party, that it should be the rule that you step down and call a by-election?

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 19/01/2022 13:17

I agree. The people of Bury voted for a party as much as a person, whatever you think about whether they were right or wrong.

If he is a brilliant constituency MP and does a lot for the community, then I could see why they might want to keep him. Nevertheless, he was elected under one mandate that the majority decided upon and now he doesn’t represent that majority.

Perhaps he’ll be deselected at the next election, but if we’re unlucky, that could be a while away.

HirplesWithHaggis · 19/01/2022 13:20

With elections to the Westminster Parliament, you do vote for the candidate, not the party (regardless of what you thought you were voting for). So no need for a by election.

CorrBlimeyGG · 19/01/2022 13:25

You vote for a candidate, not a party. And the Tories have done bugger all in their manifesto anyway. "Levelling up" is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard.

MorningStarling · 19/01/2022 13:29

Technically you vote for the candidate but the reality is most people vote for the party. I can't see many Labour voters voting Tory because they like the candidate best, they only did it at the last election because the wanted Brexit. If people voted for the candidate not the party the House of Commons would be full of independents. In fact, there'd be no need for parties to exist at all, everyone could be independent and just vote on each issue as they saw fit.

CorrBlimeyGG · 19/01/2022 13:29

On another note, lots of Labour supporters are bemused about this too. He's consistently voted for measures that are detrimental to his constituents and polar to Labour policy. I want to know if his views have changed, or if this is purely for show. I suspect the latter.

SoupDragon · 19/01/2022 13:34

My constituency would be horrified at having a Labour MP by stealth. It's been Conservative for close to forever and they definitely vote for the party not the candidate.

Defecting doesn't make sense really though as surely you'd have to completely change your beliefs in order to do so.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 19/01/2022 13:45

I think most people vote for the party.

Back in the day, in our constituency, this would not have been the case. But now? I think it is different.

I am of the opinion that a fair few MPs act on their opinions and not those of their constituents.

I would posit the notion that the walk across the floor today was not discussed at all.

It all screams a bit for the show.

Aposterhasnoname · 19/01/2022 13:48

@CorrBlimeyGG

You vote for a candidate, not a party. And the Tories have done bugger all in their manifesto anyway. "Levelling up" is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard.

So why all the “why did you vote Tory/will you ever vote Tory again” threads then?

AwaitingSueGraysInvestigation · 19/01/2022 13:49

I disagree. If enough of the electorate don't like it, they can trigger a by-election themselves under the Recall of MPs Act.

Sartre · 19/01/2022 13:50

As others have said, you vote for the candidate rather than party. You’re supposed to do this every time you vote although I suspect most don’t.

Sartre · 19/01/2022 13:52

If he’s a decent MP, it shouldn’t matter which party he represents. I used to live close to Phillip Davies’ constituency, he’s an absolute arsewipe and it’s not a wealthy area so baffling they’d vote for the Tories but apparently he’s a decent, hardworking local MP so that’s why.

Unescorted · 19/01/2022 13:53

Under a FPTP system you vote for the person not the party.

AlternativePerspective · 19/01/2022 13:55

So all those threads asking people why they vote Tory are just bollocks then.

There’s no need to have government policies because people aren’t voting for the government they’re voting for the bloke who sits in their constituency, whether he represents the tory’s, the greens or the monster raving looney party? Bollocks.

WhatdoImean · 19/01/2022 13:56

(copied from the other thread on this same subject)

The heart of a Parliamentary Democracy is that you elect an individual who will act in the best interests of their constituents - as they perceive that to be. This can mean that they shift party allegiance, as and when they think that a different allegiance would serve their constituents better.

Effectively, the current system is working as designed. Now... whether I think that is a GOOD design is a different question!!! I have a whole view on what electoral reform should be!!

Original poster

MarshmallowFondant · 19/01/2022 13:57

But do people really vote for the candidate? I don't think they do.

I mean, we could have the loveliest, most engaged, most productive and hardest working SNP candidate in the world and I still wouldn't vote for him/her because I fundamentally disagree with their policies. On the other hand, if the SNP MP who currently sits in my constituency suddenly decided she'd rather represent the Lib Dems, or Labour, there would be a lot of SNP supporters who would be unhappy with that.

When we elect a member of parliament yes it's partly about the individual candidates but it;s more about which party has the majority, who becomes PM. That's why we have national manifestos and Leader debates on the telly.

OP posts:

AlternativePerspective · 19/01/2022 13:57

So, it’s not that the tory’s are in power because they have good policies? It’s because their mp’s are some jolly nice chaps who people voted for because they like them?

Based on that we can do away with all the “why did you vote x/y” threads then.

Original poster

MarshmallowFondant · 19/01/2022 13:57

And sorry, I didn't realise there was a thread already about this.

OP posts:

AlternativePerspective · 19/01/2022 14:00

I posted one just now and by some weird coincidence I’ve ended up on this one while I thought I was posting on mine? Odd. I only noticed because you had a “see all” under your name.

I guess that means I’ve defected to your thread then? 😂.

Calennig · 19/01/2022 14:02

You vote for a candidate in westminster elections - and apparently he had a 0.8% conservative majority so perhaps he's gambling there won't be a huge out cry in the constituency.

I supect it's more about putting pressure on Boris than any heart felt change in outlook.

RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly · 19/01/2022 14:03

The situation in Bury South is interesting because, before Christian Wakeford became MP in 2019, the constituency had voted Labour since 1997. The previous Labour MP was suspended by the Labour Party in 2017 because of allegations of sexual misconduct. Then he resigned from the party in 2018, and became an Independent, citing concerns about antisemitism. In the 2019 election this previous MP urged people who were concerned about antisemitism in Labour to vote conservative.

Bury South has one of the largest Jewish popuulations outside London. It's interesting that Christian Wakeford is now signalling that he thinks Starmer is dealing with antisemtism.

I think CW would likely have lost his seat in the next election if he stayed in the Conservative party, but may be able to hang on to it by defecting to Labour.

Clavinova · 19/01/2022 14:07

Christian Wakeford MP

4 November 2021
Since I was elected in 2019, I have campaigned passionately and lobbied hard those in No.10 and in the Treasury to ensure that Bury South received vitally needed investment. It has been a long road, but a fruitful one.

Working closely with the Government I have delivered on my promise of securing investment in Bury South.

In the Chancellor’s budget last week, one of the big winners was undoubtedly Radcliffe. A beneficiary of the Government’s ambitious Levelling Up Fund, its town centre - is set to receive £20m to put into practice our plan for much-needed regeneration.

A massive win for Bury South, visitors, shoppers and residents of Radcliffe. This fund will reinvigorate the town to make it fit for the 21st century. A town centre to be proud of.

Many have asked for a palpable example of the Prime Minister’s Levelling Up vision, and this is it. Much-needed funding for our struggling towns.

Effectively reversing Labour’s decision to close Radcliffe’s facilities years ago...

www.burytimes.co.uk/news/19690530.christian-wakeford-civic-hub-will-heart-town-regeneration-push/

Bury Council
Fantastic news:
We've just had the outcome of our Levelling Up Fund bids.
We've won £20m to regenerate Bury Market and build a new flexi hall.
We've also won £20m to regenerate Radcliffe town centre and build a new multi-use civic hub.

www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16307

Blossomtoes · 19/01/2022 14:07

@RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly

The situation in Bury South is interesting because, before Christian Wakeford became MP in 2019, the constituency had voted Labour since 1997. The previous Labour MP was suspended by the Labour Party in 2017 because of allegations of sexual misconduct. Then he resigned from the party in 2018, and became an Independent, citing concerns about antisemitism. In the 2019 election this previous MP urged people who were concerned about antisemitism in Labour to vote conservative.

Bury South has one of the largest Jewish popuulations outside London. It's interesting that Christian Wakeford is now signalling that he thinks Starmer is dealing with antisemtism.

I think CW would likely have lost his seat in the next election if he stayed in the Conservative party, but may be able to hang on to it by defecting to Labour.