John Reid, the man fronting the No to AV campaign, is the champion of first-past-the-post, in his view, the purest form of democracy.

Reid, previously one of Tony Blair’s most slavishly loyal lieutenants and a machine politician sans pareil, sees merit in voting but only when it suits.

In September 2005, Reid was thinking aloud about the multi billion pound Trident upgrade. The Guardian reported:

Mr Reid said he had given no detailed consideration to whether MPs should be given a vote. But he added: "People are not stupid. They can always find ways - fox-hunting was put to a vote in the PLP, so people will find ways of doing things."

Well, despite our best efforts, we didn’t get a vote in the PLP (and neither, by the way, did the Labour Conference).

With Reid’s words ringing in our ears, I recall tabling a motion with Paul Flynn and John Austin, for debate at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, urging the Government to re-think its lunatic plans for Trident.

Under the PLP Standing Orders, a motion, properly submitted, should be debated and, if pressed, voted upon.

The agenda duly appeared but, mysteriously, with no sign of the motion.

Instead Reid, then Defence Secretary, was billed to lead a “discussion” on Trident.

With no motion on the agenda, how could there be a vote in the PLP?

Very New Labour. Very John Reid.

Exit interviews for ex MPs

Canada is our closest cousin. A Westminster democracy with first-past-the-post, an unelected upper chamber and a thousand other similarities.

So, when former MPs from the Canadian House of Commons, talk about the frustrations of life on the hill, in Ottawa, it is worth listening in. (see attachment below)

The research organisation Samara conducted exit interviews with 65 ex MPs. Many of their complaints sound eerily familiar.

There are the predictable grumbles about the whips, dispensing or withholding favours such as putting MPs on popular committees.

The tales of patronage and cronyism.

And, inevitably, resentment about the leadership.

“Decisions from their parties’ leadership were often viewed as opaque, arbitrary and unprofessional.”

As I say, lots of similarities.

Going to the Candidates’ Debate

I am tapping this out in a small town in Southern Ontario, eagerly looking forward to tonight’s candidates’ debate.

A new Angus Reid poll puts the Conservatives on 36% and the Liberals and NDP tying on 25%. The Bloc is on 9%.

The pundits predict that the softer NDP vote will start to move towards the Liberals as the best way of defeating sitting Conservatives. It will happen here.

With 14 days to the federal election, the NDP candidate here has been invisible.

Her campaign hasn’t stalled.

It never got started.

Maybe we shall get a stellar performance tonight.

I hope so.

Attachments:

Its My Party.pdf

[MPs exit interviews]

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