There's a lot of talk about a hung parliament, who else remembers 1974? What changes need to happen to bring about a new kind of election, a new kind of politics and a new kind of government?
1. We could have two polls on the day of a general election: one for a PM, the other for a constituency MP.
2. The PM candidate with the largest vote is invited to form a government, and is expected to choose the best people from whichever part to serve in that government.
3. Once all the ministerial posts are filled, the PM plus his ministers form 'the government'.
4. All the other non-governmental MPs form 'the parliament', specifically not the opposition.
5. Party whips are banned, outlawed, forbidden to operate in this new system.
6. The role of the government is to bring forward policies and to persuade a majority of MPs to vote for those policies.
7. In the absence of party whips MPs have the responsibility to vote for policies they think are best for the country.
I don't suppose it will ever happen, but imagine what it would be like if it did? What do you think?
2 comments:
That's a presidential system, whereby the legislature and executive are disentangled. Party allegiance becomes less important, because when you vote for an MP you are not electing a government, and thus you are far more likely to look at the particular views of the candidates than focus on the leaders. (Democrats and Republicans parties are far less regimented than ours - politicians are looking to their individual electorates not to their party line.)
Ironically, it looks like we are about to move in the opposite direction. We'll get a hung parliament and then PR. That means the focus is firmly on the party - you want elected, you need them to put you high a list.
The TV debates don't really work for a British parliamentary system. Try as I might, I can't vote for any of the three as they won't be on my ballot paper.
Thanks, Alistair.
I think you're right, but our system is changing.
Either we continue with first past the post, count the constituency MPs, but watching PM debates, or we change the system.
I think our party system is discredited as the aim is power, not service. I would hope that constituency MPs may still have some thoughts of service.
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