Should vote be for person or party?

20 May 2005

Grantham Journal article

“Congratulations. You are a wonderful M.P. but I fear I could never vote for you, I can’t stand your party”. “Well done. We are so glad you got back. My wife and I voted for you, but we would never otherwise have voted Conservative”.

Over the past ten days I have had dozens of people say the same thing, almost word for word –fortunately more falling into the second category than the first.

How do I react? The second type of remark is of course very touching and encouraging. The first makes me feel like a little boy who is told that however hard he tries he will never be allowed to pass the test. In both cases of course I respect the democratic decision taken by electors according to whichever lights they choose.

But should people vote for a person, or a party? Is our constituency system the right one? Or should we have proportional representation in which people simply vote for a party, or for a pre-specified party list of candidates?

I have a very clear answer on that. I would not want to do the job unless I felt I personally was responsible to my electors – to a specific group of men and women and for the representation of a specific area. If any of my constituents have a problem, or a complaint, they must, I believe, know to whom they can come.

If I were just a nominee on a party list, probably one among many, that would not be the case. My prime concern would be to satisfy the party boss who decided what place I held on the list.

PR inevitably undermines the independence of MPs. Much is said – quite rightly – about the pressures of the whipping system at Westminster and the corruptive effect of promises of office or of permanent appointment to the House of Lords. But major government revolts over recent months, on the Iraq war, on foundation hospitals and on tuition fees for example show that many MPs are still prepared to think for themselves and to answer directly to their electors. I have of course done my own share of rebelling myself over the years.

Long may that independence continue – on both sides of the House.