Ministers to press ahead with plans to cut MP numbers

[Craig 6369]

They seem to be doing all they can to protect their position in government...

 

The government is pressing ahead with plans to redraw constituency boundaries across the UK and cut MP numbers.

 

Ministers are preparing a bill that will be presented to the Commons before the summer which could see the number of MPs cut from 650 to below 600.

 

Constituencies would also have similar number of voters under the plans, which Labour say will benefit the Tories.

 

Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper said the aim was for fairness and to "reduce the cost of politics".

 

Conservatives believe the varying sizes of constituencies means each Tory MP needs far more votes than a Labour MP to secure a seat in Westminster.

 

Constituencies like the Isle of Wight, for example, has 110,000 voters, while the Western Isles has only 22,000 voters.

 

The Lib Dems back plans to cut the number of MPs and "equalise" constituency sizes but Labour say the plans are designed to eliminate smaller inner-city seats which they hold.

 

The government will now instruct the Boundaries Commission to draw up a new constituency map of Britain, with fewer than 600 seats, each with an equal number of voters.

 

Mr Harper said: "We propose to do two things. To reduce the size of Parliament, to reduce the number of MPs, to reduce the cost of politics, which I think most members of the public would agree with.

 

"And we also have the proposal to have more equal-sized constituencies because it's fairer. So we're not introducing these proposals now in response to the general election result, they were in the Conservative manifesto beforehand."

 

The proposals are part of a range of political reforms proposed by the new coalition government.

 

These include establishing fixed-term, five-year parliaments and ensuring 55% of MPs are needed to back dissolution of Parliament.

 

Other measures include bringing in a referendum on voting reform, moves towards electing the House of Lords, and funding 200 all-postal primaries for parliamentary seats which have not changed hands in many years.

 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8699129.stm

[Happy Face 29]

Politics costs a pittance.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Happy Face

[Happy Face 29]

If they cut 10% that's 65 MPs on a salary of £134,565 each.

 

A grand total of £8.7m saved.

 

You could argue there's only 435 in the house of reprasentatives and they have a far higher population in the US ....but all it does is make it easier for corporate interests to bribe fewer people.

[Renton 18321]

Aye, I heard Conservative gerrymandering was in the pipeline. It doesn't seem right that a party that did not even command a majority can do this.

[NJS 4042]

I remember noticing in either 83 or 87 when Sunderland first staring doing the first declaration thing that their main rivals were Torquay. The Sunderland poll count was 85k and the Torquay one was 47k iirc.

 

Equal numbers sounds fair but I think it should also reflect complete communities if that makes sense.

[Renton 18321]

If they cut 10% that's 65 MPs on a salary of £134,565 each.

 

A grand total of £8.7m saved.

 

You could argue there's only 435 in the house of reprasentatives and they have a far higher population in the US ....but all it does is make it easier for corporate interests to bribe fewer people.

 

It's wrong to underestimate the amount of good local work a good constituency MP can do. This won't help that.

[Rob W 0]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

[Renton 18321]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

 

You think one person can effectively manage over 100,000 constituents? I think you need a compelling case to change the status quo, not just a pointless comparision with other countries or a RobW hunch.

[Guest alex]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

Do you think we have a better or worse democratic process than most other countries though? This just seems like a popularist policy without good reason which won't actually save very much money. I'm not against it necessarily but democracy's a bit of a joke in most so-called democracies so I'm not sure a straight comparison with other countries is fair.

Edited May 25, 2010 by alex

[Rob W 0]

they seem to work OK in other countries - 435 Congressmen for 300 million people in the USA for example

 

we have over 600 drones for 60 million people

[ewerk 27143]

they seem to work OK in other countries - 435 Congressmen for 300 million people in the USA for example

 

we have over 600 drones for 60 million people

 

And how often to the US Congressmen hold surgeries?

[Guest alex]

they seem to work OK in other countries - 435 Congressmen for 300 million people in the USA for example

 

we have over 600 drones for 60 million people

If that's your best example I think it makes a good argument for sticking with what we've got.

I'm not against reform but I'd be more impressed with the proposals if the were along the lines of not allowing MPs to do other jobs / holding directorships of companies but the Tories would all have to give their ones up, so that won't happen. This smells a bit like a stitch-up to me.

[NJS 4042]

I'd like to see an end to their school type holidays before anything else - I'm sure they will insist they "work" in their contituencies during all the weeks of recess but I'd love to see timesheets.

 

I also don't see why they should get "employee" benefits - especially if the fixed length of their "contracts" is firmed up as is planned.

[Craig 6369]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

 

You think one person can effectively manage over 100,000 constituents? I think you need a compelling case to change the status quo, not just a pointless comparision with other countries or a RobW hunch.

 

Whilst on that subject I noticed Bridget was getting a load of grief from one of her constituents on facebook because she'd never knocked on his door during the election campaign....

 

Was politely reminded that he was one of around 70,000 voters in her constituency!

[Happy Face 29]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

 

You think one person can effectively manage over 100,000 constituents? I think you need a compelling case to change the status quo, not just a pointless comparision with other countries or a RobW hunch.

 

Whilst on that subject I noticed Bridget was getting a load of grief from one of her constituents on facebook because she'd never knocked on his door during the election campaign....

 

Was politely reminded that he was one of around 70,000 voters in her constituency!

 

Lame excuse. It's a 6 week campaign. She'd only have to have knocked on 1667 houses a day.

[Lazarus 0]

the UK has one of the highest number of MP's per person in the world

 

If we cleared out 50% it would be about right

 

You think one person can effectively manage over 100,000 constituents? I think you need a compelling case to change the status quo, not just a pointless comparision with other countries or a RobW hunch.

 

Whilst on that subject I noticed Bridget was getting a load of grief from one of her constituents on facebook because she'd never knocked on his door during the election campaign....

 

Was politely reminded that he was one of around 70,000 voters in her constituency!

to be fair she probably crashed her car on the way there

[Rob W 0]

they seem to work OK in other countries - 435 Congressmen for 300 million people in the USA for example

 

we have over 600 drones for 60 million people

 

And how often to the US Congressmen hold surgeries?

 

 

they are a lot easier to contact for sure

 

Most MP's bugger off to Lahndahn and are never seen again except at election time