Douglas Carswell's Blog

A lesson from Oldham and Saddleworth

One of the arguments against giving local people the power to "recall" their Member of Parliament is that it would lead to endless vexatious attempts at triggering by-elections.

I'm not so sure.

First in Winchester in 1997 and now in Oldham and Saddleworth, we see what happens when a court, in effect, sanctions a recall. The party that won first time round won even bigger second time, extending their majority many times over.

Perhaps it is generally wise to leave it to local people to decide if a fresh election is merited?

Unless local people feel a re-run is justified, then tend to punish the party that cries foul.

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