Jun
17
What’s the point of MPs?
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
Until there is some consensus on the purpose of MPs, we will never get a satisfactory answer to a number of important questions in public debate right now. The MPs expenses scandal, the number of MPs, the electoral system, a statutory code of conduct, the new speaker: at the heart of all these issues is: ‘what’s the point of MPs?’
1. MPs as national leaders
At the Hansard Society’s hustings for the new Speaker, some MPs were very clear about the place of parliament in society. Patrick McCormack MP described it as ‘the cockpit of the nation’ whilst Michael Lord MP was certain that ‘they eyes of the nation are on us’. In their world, parliament must debate issues of national importance. MPs must have a voice and deliberate on behalf of their constituents. However, there are so many other national leaders, and so many issues of national importance that do not or cannot be best served by a parliamentary debate (I fail to see what a parliamentary debate on the Iranian election campaign will add to proceedings here or there).
2. MPs as community leaders
Lynne Featherstone MP recently asked on her blog: “Do you have enough time to cross the road?” She is concerned that there pedestrian crossings in Muswell Hill don’t stay on green for long enough. Is this an appropriate role for an MP, or would it be better-served by local councillors? Or does it not actually require any political intervention at all?
3. MPs as advice centres
One of the major growth areas in politics in the last 20 years has been constituency casework. Many MPs pay two staff to bear the administrative brunt of casework in addition to spending Saturday mornings in advice surgeries meeting constituents. The constituent comes in with a problem, typically related to a complaint with the local authority or a government agency, the MP writes a letter in response and passes the response back to the constituent. Occassionally complicated cases require a bit more and now and then, a flood of letters helps an MP identify the failings with a particular service (the CSA was a good case in point in 1997-1999). But despite most MPs doing this, few think that it wins votes and there’s no evidence of constituents’ expectations of their MP in this role.
4. MPs as political campaigners
At various times, MPs have been cajoled into the role of political campaigners, particularly by the Labour Party. Photoshoots are organised with a minister and a giant cheque (or other stationary object) to highlight a new policy and a template press release is provided to the local newspaper. On other occassions, Labour HQ has encouraged MPs to carry out phone canvassing of swing voters in between the chiming of the division bell. Getting re-elected is a priority for any MP but what is an appropriate role for them as campaigners?
5. MPs as policymakers / scrutineers
MPs influence a great deal of policy. But in my limited experience, don’t have a significant input on the development of policy. Whilst at a thinktank I certainly had more policy conversations, more contact with civil servants, more with special advisers, more detailed deliberation on policy than I ever had whilst working for an MP – where most policy work was research for a parliamentary speech. Likewise, whenever I see a select committee inquiry into a subject where I have some knowledge, I’m always amazed at how many general questions are put to witnesses. If MPs really influenced policy perhaps there would be a diminshed role for thinktanks but that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
6. MPs as campaigners on issues
Some MPs have run very effective campaigns on particular issues of national or local importance. Madeleine Moon has been influential with national newspaper editors on the reporting of suicides. Martin Salter was an effective voice on train safety after the Hatfield crash. I’m sure many others have been also. But when I wrote to 12 Labour MPs that I know personally, asking their support for the Hillsborough Justice campaign, only two replied substantively. Four others said that they couldn’t reply because I didn’t live in their constituency. My local MP hasn’t replied and I have no form of redress. So the remit for MPs as campaigners appears to be limited.
7. MPs as representatives
MPs are also representatives of their constituents, even the ones that don’t vote for them. And yet very few people are aware of the identity of their local MP and I bet even fewer know how or why to contact them. And MPs don’t have the resources to publicise their services, their help or meet enough constituents to really act as hubs for political engagement. MPs can represent those that contact them, but are all too readily aware that represents a vocal minority. And also that much lobbying is professionally organised by NGOs.
8. MPs as political party figures
MPs also play an important democratic role within their political party, as political parties do in our democracy. But they have limited resources to do this and complicated rules to avoid activities which are overtly ‘political’. Again, the fact that I had written to 2 cabinet ministers did not help me. The deputy leader of the Labour Party was unable to reply to me because it wasn’t a matter for one of her five job titles. Neither were prepared to respond to something outside their brief – even though the matter had been discussed at cabinet.
There will never be a clear job description for an MP and they doubtless fill many roles, to different extents, depending on who they are, the needs of their area and the demands of the job at any one time. But the current situation is unsatisfactory. Few MPs seem to fulfil all the functions satisfactorily, few specialise and even fewer appear to be straight with their constituents and say ‘sorry, that’s not my job’.
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I have been looking looking around for this kind of information. Will you post some more in future? I’ll be grateful if you will.
I get depressed when I see our leaders on TV