Recall: MP Debate

On Tuesday MPs debated whether, and under what circumstances, we should be able to sack bad apple MPs.

After thousands of us emailed our MPs and had meetings up and down the country, 74 MPs have now signed the amendments that would lead to real recall.

On Tuesday many MPs stood up and explained the importance of these amendments. They put forward convincing arguments for the need to trust voters. Zac Goldsmith MP even referenced 38 Degrees members and how we paid for and wrote the amendments that MPs are now backing. Here are some MPs expressing support:












Yet still both the Government and the Labour party seemed to be dragging their heels on supporting real voter driven recall. In their summing up at the end of the debate both said they were concerned about MPs being recalled because of how they vote. It would seem that some MPs think that their judgement is better than the wishes of those that elected them. In other words; they don’t trust their voters.

In reality in order for recall to happen the majority of voters in a constituency would have to back it in a yes/no referendum. It is already used in over 40 countries – including the USA, Taiwan, Japan, Germany and Switzerland.

The arguments that were being made against real recall on Tuesday were essentially, arguments against democracy.

It is not over yet though. MPs have been listening – and on Tuesday some of them stood up and argued for the importance of real recall. We’ve all been emailing them and talking to them, and in the week before this debate many came on-side and signed the amendments. But too many still think they can get away with not trusting their voters. We have another week to persuade them to vote the right way.

Email your MP here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/recall-where-they-stand