&2iSo ... the petition to ask parliament to change electoral rules to mandate a by-election if an MP switched party, reached over 100,000 signatures. So was duly debated in said parliament.
The record of that debate is in Hansard: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-03-16/debates/3369EB1A-E60E-4478-9299-BEF08EA9AA30/MemberDefectionsAutomaticBy-Elections
Interesting points made. It's a shame that more MPs didn't attend. It looked to me like those who did attend were leaning towards the idea that it would be appropriate. The strong point emerging is the one that had me signing the petition: that while we do elect individuals, they have a party affiliation next to their name and research shows that for a majority of voters it is that party affiliation that tends to hold sway in their voting.
#UKpolitics #elections #MPstandards #FPtP
The record of that debate is in Hansard: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-03-16/debates/3369EB1A-E60E-4478-9299-BEF08EA9AA30/MemberDefectionsAutomaticBy-Elections
Interesting points made. It's a shame that more MPs didn't attend. It looked to me like those who did attend were leaning towards the idea that it would be appropriate. The strong point emerging is the one that had me signing the petition: that while we do elect individuals, they have a party affiliation next to their name and research shows that for a majority of voters it is that party affiliation that tends to hold sway in their voting.
#UKpolitics #elections #MPstandards #FPtP
