One of the ways in which MPs can have a real influence is by putting down amendments to Government bills. This week I put down and then debated an amendment to the Recall Bill, which I was pleased to see was supported beforehand by 67 fellow MPs from across parties.
Trust in politics is precious. It must be earned and respected. Too many MPs before 2010 tarnished the reputation of the Mother of Parliaments by making outrageous expenses claims, many of which had nothing to do with their role as MPs. Although some of these MPs were subsequently prosecuted, and many others defeated at the ballot box, it was clearly wrong that the voters did not have the chance before an Election to call them to account.
My amendment to the Recall Bill would have enabled the public to state very clearly why a particular Member should be subject to recall, to avoid the risk of vexatious or politically motivated complaints. The name of the individual complainant would have had to be clearly recorded, along with a clear explanation of their reasons for demanding a recall.
My amendment, along with others from the committee I sat on with Zac Goldsmith MP, Kate Hoey MP, and others, was defeated in a division by 166 votes to 340 votes. I was really disappointed that the Labour Party – who had previously declared their apparent support for recall – decided to whip their front bench and payroll vote into the lobby to oppose our measures. The battle has been lost on this occasion, but the campaign continues. Trust in politics needs to be restored. Recall is an important stage in that process.