AIBU to think councillors and MPs switching parties could be a loophole / risk to democracy?

[PurplePorch]

I saw a post by Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe about newly elected Reform UK councillors wanting to defect to his party.

It just made me think, are there any laws or restrictions about elected councillors or MP’s changing party? Lowe himself was booted out of Reform but he was already an MP and became an independent before starting Restore.

I have only done a few mins of googling but apparently yes, any elected councillor or MP can switch parties at any time.

isnt this a massive risk or weird loophole say for example, a bunch of hardened supporters of a party got together before a local election to run for as many councils and parties as they could and then once elected all defect to their desired party?

The only consequence shown in the searches I did was “criticism from other elected parties”. Which doesn’t sound much of a deterrent.

Ask Winston Churchill. He did a lot of hopping about.

If this was a great political strategy to win power, it would’ve been done by now.

Under the British constitution you vote for the person, not the party.

In Germany (which happens to be the other constitution I know something about) in national election you are able to vote for an individual AND a party.

Typo edits

Gladstone was another who changed sides a couple of times so it's hardly new

It happens quite frequently, OP. I think it should trigger a by-election, personally.

As pp said, you vote for a person not the party.

Yes, as PPs have said, it's not new or unusual, but I think it should mean a by-election too.