REFORM’S NEW MPs – POWERLESS AND POINTLESS?
Five ways they can make an impact
What is the point of Reform UK’s new MPs? This is a question I’m frequently asked. After all, there are only five of them, versus 411 Labour MPs; 121 Tories and 72 Lib Dems. Even Sinn Fein, which does not take up its seats, theoretically has more (7). It is hard to imagine any circumstances in which Nigel Farage and his parliamentary colleagues will make any difference to the passage of government legislation. So what can they do?
Here are five ways I think they can make an impact:
Make a noise
The House of Commons is designed to give all MPs a voice. There are multiple ways for backbenchers to lobby/make themselves heard, particularly if they focus on single issues. If they are smart, and know how to work the media, they can very quickly become known as the ‘go to’ politician on a particular subject. For example, when they first entered the Commons as Tory backbenchers, both Liz Truss and Andrea Leadsom carved out a niche campaigning on childcare and banking regulation respectively.
Among the mechanisms and forums available to Reform’s MPs in Parliament are: written questions to ministers; oral questions to ministers; Westminster Hall debates (which carry no legislative weight, but oblige government ministers to attend and contribute); Early Day Motions (which also carry no legislative weight, but are a clear way of illustrating the strength of feeling among backbenchers from all parties on a particular concern) and private letters to ministers (who as a matter of both courtesy and protocol must respond.)
Be Model MPs…
Reform’s five new MPs will be under constant hostile scrutiny and must set an example. Voters are sick of politicians who abandon their constituencies almost the moment they are elected to swan around the corridors of power. Over the years, I have seen what happens to certain good people once the Palace of Westminster becomes their workplace, and it is depressing. Slowly but surely, they develop a swagger. They start thinking they’re too grand to deal with pot holes, bus services and social housing. These seemingly mundane issues really matter to voters, and the work can’t all be palmed off on local councils. Even if it’s not the MP’s problem, the best MPs play their part in holding townhalls to account. Reform MPs should prioritise their constituencies over grandstanding in parliament, to show the electorate what they can expect from the party’s representatives if they vote Reform next time.
Join Select Committees
Cross-party select committees are powerful bodies. They are a fantastic forum for MPs to scrutinise the work of Whitehall departments and all sorts of public bodies, and to investigate the state of industries, corporations and all manner of products and services. In recent years, they have become much more influential, with hearings regularly televised and going viral on social media. Select committee reports require a government response. These investigations can and do change policy. The chairmen and women are arguably more powerful than junior ministers in the associated Whitehall departments.
Use Parliamentary Privilege
By law, MPs cannot be sued for libel for what they say in Parliament. For campaigning backbenchers, this is a huge asset. Put simply, it gives them the ability to make allegations about the rich and powerful without running the risk of being sued.
In order for the privilege not to fall into disrepute, it must be used extremely sparingly. However, if Reform MPs want to challenge vested interests in the way Nigel Farage took on the banks, the ability to speak out without fear or favour is likely to prove extremely useful.
Submit A Private Members’ Bill
In theory, all backbenchers are entitled to try to change the law by introducing their own bills. In practice, only one or two a year have any prospect of becoming legislation. The best chance MPs have is by entering a ballot. The first few names drawn out of a hat are invited to submit proposed legislation that will be allocated parliamentary time. MPs who come out first or second are often lobbied by their peers to submit a bill on a particular subject. Sometimes, governments throw their weight behind private members’ bills, giving the proposals a real chance of becoming law. Given the number of backbenchers entering the ballot, this a long shot for Reform’s five – but you never know your luck. It has be worth a try.