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| Lib Dems welcome David Cameron’s hint at toughening recall bill | Lib Dems welcome David Cameron’s hint at toughening recall bill |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Liberal Democrats have welcomed David Cameron’s apparent new willingness to strengthen government plans to give voters a right to recall misbehaving or unpopular MPs for re-election. | |
| The prime minister signalled he was willing to change his stance in response to a call by Douglas Carswell, the newly elected Ukip MP, to strengthen the bill due to be debated by MPs next week. | The prime minister signalled he was willing to change his stance in response to a call by Douglas Carswell, the newly elected Ukip MP, to strengthen the bill due to be debated by MPs next week. |
| Carswell cited the weakness of the recall bill as one of the main reasons why he defected to Ukip. Cameron’s change of heart may be an attempt to deprive Carswell, as well as fellow Ukip-defector Mark Reckless, of one of their great campaigning causes. | |
| Cameron told MPs: “I will look very carefully at all amendments that come forward because, frankly, in getting this bill together we have come up with the minimum acceptable for recall, but I think there are a lot of very good arguments to be had about how we can go further.” | Cameron told MPs: “I will look very carefully at all amendments that come forward because, frankly, in getting this bill together we have come up with the minimum acceptable for recall, but I think there are a lot of very good arguments to be had about how we can go further.” |
| Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, is responsible for overseeing the bill, which is due to have its second reading next week. His aides suggested the minimalist nature of the legislation was a result of tough resistance from Conservatives over the past three years. | Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, is responsible for overseeing the bill, which is due to have its second reading next week. His aides suggested the minimalist nature of the legislation was a result of tough resistance from Conservatives over the past three years. |
| A Lib Dem source said: “If there has been a change of heart by Cameron, then we can make some real amendments.” | A Lib Dem source said: “If there has been a change of heart by Cameron, then we can make some real amendments.” |
| The current bill only allows an automatic recall petition for a new election to be started if an MP has been given a custodial sentence of up to 12 months, or if the Commons votes that an MP has been engaged in “serious wrongdoing” requiring them to be suspended from the Commons for 21 sitting days. MPs are disqualified from parliament if they are jailed for more than 12 months. | |
| A byelection would be triggered if more than 10% of constituents signed a petition calling for it in an eight-week period. The average number of electors in a UK parliamentary constituency is 68,175,53 so it would take 6,800 people to force a byelection on average. | A byelection would be triggered if more than 10% of constituents signed a petition calling for it in an eight-week period. The average number of electors in a UK parliamentary constituency is 68,175,53 so it would take 6,800 people to force a byelection on average. |
| Under a private member’s bill promoted by Zac Goldsmith, 5% of voters in a constituency could serve notice they wish to recall their MP, then 20% of voters would be required to trigger a byelection. | |
| Clegg is anxious to ensure MPs cannot be subject to repeat petitions and controls on spending so well-funded pressure groups could not persistently threaten MPs. The bill limits the amount of petition expenses that can be incurred during the recall petition period to £10,000 for accredited campaigners and £500 for non-accredited campaigners. | Clegg is anxious to ensure MPs cannot be subject to repeat petitions and controls on spending so well-funded pressure groups could not persistently threaten MPs. The bill limits the amount of petition expenses that can be incurred during the recall petition period to £10,000 for accredited campaigners and £500 for non-accredited campaigners. |
| Carswell has been an advocate of total recall, saying: “If a certain number of people – I would say one in five voters – sign that petition, you face stage B, which is the recall ballot. It’s a yes/no vote … If more than half the people taking part in that vote said yes, you should be recalled, you would face a byelection.” | Carswell has been an advocate of total recall, saying: “If a certain number of people – I would say one in five voters – sign that petition, you face stage B, which is the recall ballot. It’s a yes/no vote … If more than half the people taking part in that vote said yes, you should be recalled, you would face a byelection.” |
| The 2010 Conservative manifesto appeared to agree with this trigger, stating: “Our People Power manifesto will give local people the direct power to recall MPs found guilty of wrongdoing without having to wait for a general election. Conservatives will empower local people to cast a vote of no confidence in their elected representative and bring an end to the concept of the ‘safe seat’. This proposal will make MPs directly answerable to their constituents over the whole of a parliament – not just every five years.” | The 2010 Conservative manifesto appeared to agree with this trigger, stating: “Our People Power manifesto will give local people the direct power to recall MPs found guilty of wrongdoing without having to wait for a general election. Conservatives will empower local people to cast a vote of no confidence in their elected representative and bring an end to the concept of the ‘safe seat’. This proposal will make MPs directly answerable to their constituents over the whole of a parliament – not just every five years.” |