After last week’s vote on Real Recall, where MPs were asked to back a genuine, voter-led Recall system, or a restricted form based on narrow criteria and prior approval from fellow MPs, Isabella Gornall in my office has crunched some numbers. They are worth printing.
On average, MPs who voted AGAINST proper Recall have larger majorities (by 1,000) than those FOR. That’s relevant because in the debate that preceded the vote, many MPs argued that real Recall poses a bigger threat to marginals than to safe seats. The truth of course is the opposite – MPs in marginal seats already work on the assumption they can be removed, whereas ‘seats for life’ might genuinely be shaken up under a system of Recall. The vote adds weight to that.
It’s also interesting that almost all the small Parties backed real Recall. All SNP, Green, Plaid Cymru, SDLP, and UKIP MPs backed real Recall.
Of the main Parties:
◦ Just 9.5% of Lib Dems backed real Recall
◦ Just 19.8 of Labour backed real Recall (the figure is better than it appears given the Party’s secret whipping operation)
◦ And although it wasn’t enough, I’m pleased that 44.9% of Conservatives backed Real Recall
Meanwhile, candidates from all Parties around the country are making real Recall an election issue, and it’s likely the balance will eventually shift towards a better democracy.
◦ Results by Party: LINK
◦ Transcript of debate, with votes at the end: LINK