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| The tragedy of the Commons: MPs are too busy to do their jobs | The tragedy of the Commons: MPs are too busy to do their jobs |
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| After the pomp and ceremony of the state opening of parliament, there is much for our bright, fresh intake of new MPs to ponder. They will be thinking about that first day at the palace of Westminster, that maiden speech. But if they are smart they will also be thinking about what must happen at the end of the week, most weeks. | |
| Though Westminster is the centre of political life, the dutiful politician will leave on Friday for a weekend of constituency surgeries, local visits and meetings. Even the prime minister will seek to do this. This is right and proper. The connection between MPs and constituents can be their only chance to understand the lives of the people for whom they govern, and the impact of that governing. | Though Westminster is the centre of political life, the dutiful politician will leave on Friday for a weekend of constituency surgeries, local visits and meetings. Even the prime minister will seek to do this. This is right and proper. The connection between MPs and constituents can be their only chance to understand the lives of the people for whom they govern, and the impact of that governing. |
| But soon the optimistic newbies will encounter a genuine and growing concern that the balance of responsibilities – between parliament and constituency – has swung heavily towards imbalance. MPs are becoming glorified councillors or social workers, unable properly to hold the government to account, or influence national policy. | But soon the optimistic newbies will encounter a genuine and growing concern that the balance of responsibilities – between parliament and constituency – has swung heavily towards imbalance. MPs are becoming glorified councillors or social workers, unable properly to hold the government to account, or influence national policy. |
| As MPs dispatched to London without a job description become bogged down in petition emails and local housing problems, how long before they start to wonder: is this what I was elected to do? Constituents should ask the question too. Consider what I observed in the company of one backbencher from the last parliament. The first constituent ushered in to the surgery was a developer seeking land from the local council. She wanted to see her MP. She didn’t want to talk to the council – the responsible authority – in case they leaked her plans to rival developers. | As MPs dispatched to London without a job description become bogged down in petition emails and local housing problems, how long before they start to wonder: is this what I was elected to do? Constituents should ask the question too. Consider what I observed in the company of one backbencher from the last parliament. The first constituent ushered in to the surgery was a developer seeking land from the local council. She wanted to see her MP. She didn’t want to talk to the council – the responsible authority – in case they leaked her plans to rival developers. |
| One conscientious MP admits going to vote on legislation without having read more than the cover of the act | One conscientious MP admits going to vote on legislation without having read more than the cover of the act |
| Next came the mother of a disabled son worried about what would happen when he left school. Then the father refusing to pay fines for taking his children out of school for two weeks – he hadn’t yet spoken to the headteacher. Next came the disabled man who wanted to take a job in another city but said he couldn’t claim housing benefit without a permanent address. The father battling to get his son into a specialist rehabilitation centre. The woman and her daughter stranded 50 miles away in a refuge after being designated homeless. The subjects recur; planning, housing, immigration and benefits are the four most common themes nationally. | Next came the mother of a disabled son worried about what would happen when he left school. Then the father refusing to pay fines for taking his children out of school for two weeks – he hadn’t yet spoken to the headteacher. Next came the disabled man who wanted to take a job in another city but said he couldn’t claim housing benefit without a permanent address. The father battling to get his son into a specialist rehabilitation centre. The woman and her daughter stranded 50 miles away in a refuge after being designated homeless. The subjects recur; planning, housing, immigration and benefits are the four most common themes nationally. |
| Virtually every encounter necessitates the writing of at least one letter, even though few of the issues raised are matters for which the MP has most obvious responsibility or influence. And the member knows there will be hundreds more phone, letter and email requests each week. Some matters clearly belong on the MP’s desk, many others should be directed elsewhere. But a letter on House of Commons headed paper often yields results, so people use the status of their MP to bypass the system. And for what? In one case, so an MP might help a mother find her 6ft 8in son a suitably sized bed. In another, so a constituent might add heft to her complaint about the quality of privately obtained breast surgery. | Virtually every encounter necessitates the writing of at least one letter, even though few of the issues raised are matters for which the MP has most obvious responsibility or influence. And the member knows there will be hundreds more phone, letter and email requests each week. Some matters clearly belong on the MP’s desk, many others should be directed elsewhere. But a letter on House of Commons headed paper often yields results, so people use the status of their MP to bypass the system. And for what? In one case, so an MP might help a mother find her 6ft 8in son a suitably sized bed. In another, so a constituent might add heft to her complaint about the quality of privately obtained breast surgery. |
| The result? Each MP bogged down in constituency work to the point that the overloaded members feel unable to properly scrutinise the executive – their primary responsibility. Backbenchers tell of working 50-70 hours a week, half on constituency case work. They receive about £100,000 to spend on staff, but set against the demands they must meet, that isn’t enough; something has to give. | The result? Each MP bogged down in constituency work to the point that the overloaded members feel unable to properly scrutinise the executive – their primary responsibility. Backbenchers tell of working 50-70 hours a week, half on constituency case work. They receive about £100,000 to spend on staff, but set against the demands they must meet, that isn’t enough; something has to give. |
| One conscientious MP admits going to vote on legislation without having read more than the cover of the act. Another describes the embarrassment of sitting on scrutiny committees packed with colleagues who frown on anybody who asks detailed – ie time-consuming – questions. One describes how lack of knowledge leaves them vulnerable to capture by special interests. As for Friday at Westminster, it’s the legislative version of the Mary Celeste; a small cast of regulars left to pronounce on private members’ bills. “I used to wonder why the chamber looks empty,” said an MP first elected in 2010. “Now I know.” | One conscientious MP admits going to vote on legislation without having read more than the cover of the act. Another describes the embarrassment of sitting on scrutiny committees packed with colleagues who frown on anybody who asks detailed – ie time-consuming – questions. One describes how lack of knowledge leaves them vulnerable to capture by special interests. As for Friday at Westminster, it’s the legislative version of the Mary Celeste; a small cast of regulars left to pronounce on private members’ bills. “I used to wonder why the chamber looks empty,” said an MP first elected in 2010. “Now I know.” |
| Experienced MPs understand the drawbacks and crave solutions. Re-elected Bristol Tory Charlotte Leslie has a website directing constituents to organisations they should contact first, such as the council or Citizens Advice. That model was commended to others by the parliamentary committee on standards. | Experienced MPs understand the drawbacks and crave solutions. Re-elected Bristol Tory Charlotte Leslie has a website directing constituents to organisations they should contact first, such as the council or Citizens Advice. That model was commended to others by the parliamentary committee on standards. |
| But underpinning those discussions must be the central question: what are MPs for? Winston Churchill had a clear approach: “the honour and safety of Great Britain … constituents … the party organisation”. MPs in the last parliament drew up the same list, but reversed the order of priority. | But underpinning those discussions must be the central question: what are MPs for? Winston Churchill had a clear approach: “the honour and safety of Great Britain … constituents … the party organisation”. MPs in the last parliament drew up the same list, but reversed the order of priority. |
| MPs deserve a deal of sympathy. But before they get swept away on a tide of self-pity, many of those overworked might also reflect on policies they themselves have fostered: to undermine local government, to shut local services like jobcentres, to cut funding for legal aid and Citizens Advice, to harden the attitude and approach of immigration officials. These are often the reasons people in trouble need to see their MP. Members need help, but they can also help themselves. | MPs deserve a deal of sympathy. But before they get swept away on a tide of self-pity, many of those overworked might also reflect on policies they themselves have fostered: to undermine local government, to shut local services like jobcentres, to cut funding for legal aid and Citizens Advice, to harden the attitude and approach of immigration officials. These are often the reasons people in trouble need to see their MP. Members need help, but they can also help themselves. |
| • This article was amended on 28 May 2015. An editing change to an earlier version had it referring tautologically to “that first maiden speech”. |