On Newsnight to make the case against unelected judges removing MPs and for voter recall instead

After a long day with a range of community organisations in our town, and my regular surgery for residents, I was on Newsnight late last evening, to argue against unelected judges having the right to remove our MPs.  My point was that whilst the Judge was right to state that Mr Phil Woolas, had defamed his opponent - and even set a fine, as in any libel case - he was wrong to remove him as an MP.  The ruling appears to have been made based on the removal by the Courts of an MP over 100 years ago.  But, as I stated yesterday, a Century ago, women didn't even have the right to vote. Times have changed and we live in a much more democratic and open society.

I believe there should be a system of voter recall.  This would ensure that if an MP was judged to have committed wrongdoing, and enough of his or her constituents thought so (a minimum of ten percent or so), they could petition to force a By-election.  This would only occur if an MP had committed an offence, rather than because of differences over policy.

You can see my Newsnight interview HERE.  It starts about 19.30 minutes into the programme.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com