Government proposals on recall will entrench cynicism

The government published its draft proposal for the recall of MPs today. Under the proposals, voters will be able force a by-election but only where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and 10% of his or her constituents have signed a petition asking for them to be recalled.

Unlock Democracy’s Director Peter Facey said:

“The government’s recall proposals have the veneer of democracy, but a streak of paternalism runs through them like a stick of rock.  For all its promise, it does not in practice offer the voter any more power over their MP than they have at present.  By raising people’s expectations, it can only entrench cynicism.

“A proper recall system empowers citizens, not MPs or the courts.  It should be up to local people to decide what issues should trigger a by-election.  By contrast, the proposals only allow MPs to be recalled if they are convicted by a court or hung out to dry by the House of Commons.

“In their present form, these proposals are not worth the parliamentary time it will take to debate them.  The half-hearted way they have been released by the Cabinet Office suggests that the government thinks so too.”