Off topic-Defecting MPs

It’s a fair point. Regardless of the likely outcome, defections should trigger a bi-election. At least then we could be slightly more confident of the sincerity of any defectors, since they’d be jeopardising their seat willingly.

All MPs defecate

The convention of the British system, for better or worse, is that MPs are personal representatives of their constituents, not delegates. They are expected to use their judgement to act in the constituents' best interests, not vote in parliament in a prescribed way. So it is a long-established precedent that if they vote against policies put forward by the party they were elected as remembers of, or if they leave that party, it doesn't trigger a by-election.

There are always arguments that this is undemocratic. I suppose a counter-argument could go as follows. Our electoral system itself results in the largest party receiving a disproportionately high representation in parliament. Sometimes getting 35% of the votes cast has resulted in receiving 60% of the seats in parliament. This itself is not greatly democratic. If MPs were actually just delegates - that is, elected to enact the policies in the manifesto of the winning party with no scope to exercise personal judgement - this would further increase the power of the party that received just a third of the country's support. On the other hand, if MPs are free to defy their parties and even defect from them, the parties are to some extent subject to scrutiny and can pay a price if public opinion shifts against them between elections.

As for Elphicke, I'm not particularly keen on seeing her as a Labour MP, but there will be a General Election soon anyway, so a by-election seems a bit of a waste. I'm relieved to see that she will not stand as an MP at the next election. It's above all a coup of symbolic importance to Labour, as the Tory MP in the seat where the boats are landing is very publicly saying the Rwanda policy won't work.

comment by it'sonlyagame (U6426)
posted 2 hours, 44 minutes ago
All MPs defecate
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They call it speaking

OP... in the UK we vote for a Parliament or MPs. They decide who the executives are.

comment by RB&W -Same Place-Same Club-Same Man (U21434)
posted 5 minutes ago
OP... in the UK we vote for a Parliament or MPs. They decide who the executives are.
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*of MPs

You vote for an MP and not a party

comment by Onana what's my name? (U14210)
posted 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
You vote for an MP and not a party
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Or vice versa if you wish.

The whole democratic process in this country is backward and does not represent people's votes accurately, but that's a whole other issue.

Elphicke isn't standing at the next election, so I guess a good thing is she'll only be an MP for a few months before it goes to another vote. She should have just gone independent