10 signatures reached
To: The Prime Minister
Speaker and Deputy Speakers to step down from being Constituency Members of Parliament
Change the policy/legislation/tradition to require an MP elected to the position of Speaker or Deputy Speaker to step down from their office as a Member of Parliament.
Why is this important?
This is important because presently the four Constituencies whose MPs are either Speaker or Deputy Speaker are not fully and effectively represented in The House of Commons. These MPs are unable to speak (save to referee the rest), vote, or bring early day motions in The House and as a consequence, all constituents in those constituencies do not enjoy the same right of representation as the rest of the population. If constituents in these four constituencies wish a matter to be brought to the House, there is no mechanism for this to happen.
We have been told that the serving MP who is a deputy may "influence" their colleagues, but this is unaccountable and clearly unlikely to be effective. One MP strictly represents one constituency and it is doubtful that they would have the inclination, much less the time to effectively support a second constituency.
MPs who hold the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker become nothing more to their constituents than ribbon-cutting celebrities. To add insult to this injury, the MP in question takes a further £60,000 from the public purse to hold this disabling office.
We have been told that the serving MP who is a deputy may "influence" their colleagues, but this is unaccountable and clearly unlikely to be effective. One MP strictly represents one constituency and it is doubtful that they would have the inclination, much less the time to effectively support a second constituency.
MPs who hold the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker become nothing more to their constituents than ribbon-cutting celebrities. To add insult to this injury, the MP in question takes a further £60,000 from the public purse to hold this disabling office.
