Public win right to recall bad MPs

A recall petition could be triggered by a vote in the House of Commons or by an MP being sentenced to prison for 12 months or less.

The proposals - set out in a draft Bill by constitutional reform minister Mark Harper - tighten up the current rules, which allow MPs to keep their seats unless they are jailed for more than a year.

Under Mr Harper’s plans, if one in ten of eligible constituents - around 6,800 people at present but likely to rise to 7,500 after the next election - vote for a recall, the MP’s seat will be vacated and a by-election held.

The ousted MP would be free to seek re-election in the poll, whether under a party banner or as an independent.

Mr Harper said: “This is an important part of the Government’s programme of measures designed to help restore trust in our political system.

“If an MP has been found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing, they should not be able to retain their seat with impunity until the next general election.

“Our proposals would allow constituents to decide whether or not an MP should retain their seat.”

Two of the region’s MPs were among the highest profile expenses claim cases, with Scunthorpe MP Elliot Morley jailed for 16 months in May this year after admitting two counts of false accounting, involving more than £30,000. He was released in September.

Barnsley MP Eric Illsley became the first sitting Member of Parliament to be convicted of a criminal offence in the scandal when he admitted three counts of false accounting worth £14,000 in January, he was sentenced the following month to 12 months in prison and was released in May.

The draft Bill states that any petition would be administered by the local returning officer and be open for eight weeks.

Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan said: “It is hugely important that the public have faith in our political system and the politicians they elect.

“A system of recall for MPs involved in serious wrongdoing could be a crucial step to regaining the public’s confidence and something Labour has been calling for.”

However the plans have been slammed by The TaxPayers’ Alliance which claimed many voters would feel “let down” that they will not be able to start a petition on their own initiative.

The Conservative manifesto for last year’s general election promised voters the power of recall “triggered by proven serious wrong-doing” and the Liberal Democrats said that constituents would be able to “force a by-election for any MP found responsible for serious wrong-doing”.

Neither manifesto, nor the coalition agreement, mentioned the need to obtain a majority in the House of Commons to trigger a recall petition.

TaxPayers’ Alliance director Matthew Sinclair said: “The public were promised that they would be given the power to kick out bad MPs but now we find out that isn’t really happening.

“So long as they have enough friends in Parliament, and avoid doing anything so flagrant it actually gets them sent to prison, they will be safe from these toothless provisions for a recall.

“Outside of elections every four or five years, MPs are still going to answer only to themselves, or the police in the most extreme cases, and not to their constituents.

“Many voters will feel let down as the Government buries serious reforms that were promised after the expenses scandal.”