Reform UK has eight MPs but half of these are defections from the Conservative Party. Although perfectly legal within our electoral system, is this a fair way to run a parliamentary system?
Since 2007, the Electoral Commission have consistently monitored public attitudes towards elections and democracy with their latest study conducted online during December 2024.
One of the key takeaway points was that only one in five respondents felt their elected representatives cared about people like them.
I wonder if these findings have anything to do with the freedom an MP has to switch their political allegiance without testing this decision in the court of public opinion?
MPs defection freedom has no voter mandate
It is quite reasonable to doubt whether the likes of Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman would have been as motivated to switch their allegiance to Reform UK if their defection would automatically trigger a by-election. This would have been the only way to legitimise their choice to the constituents.
The recent and historic by-election in Gorton and Denton, where the Green Party pushed Labour into third place, might provide a perfect example of the furore that would erupt if the immensely likeable and credible Hannah Spencer suddenly decided to switch her allegiance from the Greens to another party?
Not for one moment am I suggesting this is a likely scenario but she, or any other of the 649 MPs in Westminster, are currently free to take this highly contentious decision if they wished.
The Scottish example
Although not uncommon to see defections in the Scottish Parliament, since 1999 all but three defections have seen the defecting MSP become an independent first. What’s more, MSPs who change their political affiliation face an uphill battle to retain their seat at the next election.
I appreciate that some voters choose their candidate irrespective of political allegiance, but conventional wisdom suggests the choice at the ballot box is often underpinned by party rather than personality.
Democracy they deserve?
The maxim that people get the democracy they deserve has a hollow ring to it when our elected representatives can simply defect to another party without any accountability to voters or having a mandate to do so.
The turnout at the 2024 general election was the lowest since 2001. If we want to combat the voter apathy that resulted in a turnout of only 59.7%, creating a more robust system that forces an MP to seriously consider the implications of defecting to another party, would be a significant step in the right direction.
This might be the shot in the arm our embattled democratic system so badly needs. This very issue is being debated today in Westminster in response to the online petition.
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