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'Power of recall' of MPs ditched by coalition Coalition row after MPs recall plan is shelved
(about 1 hour later)
The coalition is to drop plans to give voters the ability to dismiss MPs for "serious wrongdoing". Politicians look like they are "running scared", a senior Lib Dem has said, after plans to allow voters to remove MPs between elections were dropped.
The idea of a "power of recall", where 10% of an MP's electorate could sign a petition calling for a by-election, was introduced after the expenses scandal. Plans for a "power of recall" for MPs who have committed "serious wrongdoing" have been abandoned following a dispute between the Tories and Lib Dems.
It was included in the Conservatives' 2010 manifesto and their Coalition Agreement with the Liberal Democrats. Lib Dem Party President Tim Farron said the "modest" plan was blocked by the prime minister David Cameron.
The coalition partners have blamed each other amid disagreements over the detail of how recall would work. But Conservatives accused the Lib Dems of not doing enough to champion it.
In their May 2010 governing agreement, the Conservatives and Lib Dems agreed to bring forward "early legislation" to allow voters to force a by-election "where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition calling for a by-election signed by 10% of his or her constituents". The Independent reported that the plans would not be included in May's Queen's Speech, the last chance for them to become law before the 2015 election.
'Quad' disagreement The idea, which was proposed in response to the public anger about the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal, was included in both the Conservatives' and Lib Dems' last general election manifestos.
In their 2010 Coalition Agreement, both parties promised "early legislation" to allow voters to force a by-election "where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing".
'Protecting their own'
When a draft bill setting out plans was published in 2011, there was some criticism that the threshold for triggering the recall of an MP had been set too high.When a draft bill setting out plans was published in 2011, there was some criticism that the threshold for triggering the recall of an MP had been set too high.
As well as 10% of constituents having to sign a petition demanding it, a committee of MPs would first have to decide if serious wrongdoing had taken place.As well as 10% of constituents having to sign a petition demanding it, a committee of MPs would first have to decide if serious wrongdoing had taken place.
Now Whitehall sources have confirmed that draft legislation paving the way for future action will not be in the final Queen's Speech of Parliament, to be unveiled in May.
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said it is understood the decision was taken following a meeting of the "quad" group of senior Lib Dem and Tory ministers, Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief Secretary Danny Alexander.BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said it is understood the decision was taken following a meeting of the "quad" group of senior Lib Dem and Tory ministers, Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief Secretary Danny Alexander.
Mr Farron told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was "no obvious excuse" for ditching the idea.
"We understand the prime minister has blocked it," he said.
He added: "It seems to me very wrong that an MP can get up to things that all of us would agree are inappropriate and be in a position where they would not be able to be held to account.
"It looks like certain MPs are running scared of their electorate. We should never be scared of our electorate...What it looks like to the electorate is that MPs are trying to protect themselves from them. That's not on."
Downing Street has declined to comment but Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, who has championed the idea, said he was "appalled" that it had been dropped from the government's agenda.Downing Street has declined to comment but Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, who has championed the idea, said he was "appalled" that it had been dropped from the government's agenda.
He tweeted: "Parties can stuff their manifestos full of clever promises, but if voters don't believe them, they may as well present blank sheets."He tweeted: "Parties can stuff their manifestos full of clever promises, but if voters don't believe them, they may as well present blank sheets."
"How is it possible that our leaders still don't understand that the single biggest cause of people's hatred of them is deceit?" he added.
'Broken promise''Broken promise'
Mr Goldsmith, who has put forward his own private member's bill on the issue, suggested Mr Clegg - who is in charge of the government's constitutional reform agenda - had failed to push the proposal hard enough.Mr Goldsmith, who has put forward his own private member's bill on the issue, suggested Mr Clegg - who is in charge of the government's constitutional reform agenda - had failed to push the proposal hard enough.
In an exchange on Twitter with Lib Dem Party President Tim Farron, Mr Goldsmith suggested the two men try to lobby their respective leaders over the issue, The deputy prime minister, he claimed, had refused to discuss the idea with him and other supporters of recall, adding that "even by the shitty standards of dishonest UK politics, the Lib Dems really are revolting".
"Let us both visit Nick Clegg & make the case for honouring his recall promise. And then if necessary we can visit DC. Agreed?"
But Mr Farron accused the Conservatives of blocking the plans, telling the BBC there was "no obvious excuse or good reason" for it not to go ahead.
Labour said it was "another broken promise" from the government.Labour said it was "another broken promise" from the government.
"David Cameron is now backtracking from his own manifesto commitment to introduce recall of MPs," shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said."David Cameron is now backtracking from his own manifesto commitment to introduce recall of MPs," shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said.
"And Nick Clegg's claims back in 2010 that he'd be the "great reformer" on the constitution are frankly laughable as he's got nothing whatsoever to show for it.""And Nick Clegg's claims back in 2010 that he'd be the "great reformer" on the constitution are frankly laughable as he's got nothing whatsoever to show for it."
The government has already abandoned plans for elections to the House of Lords and to cut the size of the House of Commons in the face of opposition from MPs and peers.The government has already abandoned plans for elections to the House of Lords and to cut the size of the House of Commons in the face of opposition from MPs and peers.