Conservative MP defects to Labour (BBC News)
I do think that it’s rather unfortunate that MPs are allowed to do this. They get elected with the backing of one party, using their policies to convince the electorate to vote for them, and once they’ve got their seat they defect to another party with (theorectically) opposing views. It really isn’t on.
Surely Mr Jackson knew back in 2001 that the Conservatives were dirfting further rightwards - so why did he stand as their candidate? Perhaps because the local electorate are likely to vote Conservative? Since he’s standing down at the next election, this seems a likely reason.
Perhaps there’s a tactic for some of the minor parties here - get their supporters to join one of the big parties for which people are likely to vote, and once elected, switch to the minority party, thereby getting them seats in the Commons that they probably would not otherwise have gained.
Therefore, I feel that the most honest thing for Mr Jackson to do in these circumstances would be to resign as a Conservative MP, triggering a by-election in which he should restand as a Labour MP, giving the electorate a representative with whose party line they agree. But he wouldn’t want to do that, because he might be defeated.
He believes students should pay tuition fees, that Tony Blair should not be criticised over his handling of the Iraq war and that more powers should be given to Europe
And how long has he been believing all this? If he’s believed it since before 2001, then I hope he didn’t campaign against his beliefs, as this would make him a very dishonorable and dishonest Member. Perfect for the Labour party, then.
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