Fixed Term

David Cameron today accepted that the arguments for fixed term parliaments are growing stronger. In a speech to the Open University, he said…

We also need to look seriously at the immense power Prime Ministers wield through their ability to call an election whenever they want. I know there are strong political and moral arguments against fixed-term parliaments. Political - because there’s nothing worse than a lame-duck government with a tiny majority limping on for years. And moral - because when a Prime Minister has gone into an election, and won it promising to serve a full term, but hands over to an unelected leader half-way through, the people deserve an election as soon as possible.

These arguments are of course particularly relevant today. But I believe the arguments for fixed-term parliaments are strengthening too. Because if we want Parliament to be a real engine of accountability, we need to show that it is not just the creature of the executive.

That’s why a Conservative Government will seriously consider the option of fixed term Parliaments when there is a majority government.

So far so good. It’s important that as many people as possible now put pressure on Mr Cameron to turn this form an aspiration into a manifesto commitment.

Last week, LibDem MP David Howarth’s Fixed Term Bill failed at Second Reading when it was talked out by Labour Minister Bridget Prentice. You can read the whole debate from Hansard by clicking HERE. Well done to David Howarth for tabling the bill and at least starting what ought to be a long running debate on this important issue.

The Fixed Term Parliaments Bill, introduced by David Howarth MP, receives its second reading debate in the House of Commons this Friday.

A Private Members’ Bill, it has a chance of becoming law if enough MPs support it. However, as the debate is on a Friday when most MPs are in their constituents, it is absolutely crucial that enough MPs show up in order to ensure the vote does not fail.

You can help ensure this happens by writing or phoning your MP over the next couple of days and asking them to support the Bill in the second reading debate on Friday. In addition, please ask them to sign

EDM 1528 - Fixed Term Parliaments.

If you would prefer to write, use the WriteToThem.com website (you can also use this website to look up the name of your MP) or address your letter to [name of MP] MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. To phone, dial 020 7219 3000 and ask to be put through to your MP’s office.

LibDem MP Lynne Featherstone has written about Fixed Terms on her excellent blog, HERE. She draws an excellent comparison between the power of the Prime Minister and a football team taking their ball home.

It’s 80 minutes into an Arsenal-Tottenham football derby. Tottenham lead 1-0. Arsenal are piling on the pressure. The Tottenham manager shouts at the ref, “OK, that’s it – can we have the final score now please?” The ref agrees, all the players troop off the pitch 10 minutes early and Tottenham get the three points.

Sounds absurd doesn’t it (and I don’t just mean the idea of Tottenham beating Arsenal!)?

But that’s what passes for normal in the world of Palace of Westminster politics when it comes to general election dates. The Prime Minister – and the Prime Minister alone – gets to choose the date. Now – in theory Parliaments last for five years and the monarch has to agree to any earlier election, but in practice – the PM always gets his or her way.

The polling firm ComRes has released details of a new poll showing that support for the idea of fixed term parliaments has risen to 44% among Members of Parliament. ComRes interviewed 154 MPs in October and these were the results

44% of all MPs support fixed term parliaments, 49% oppose them

25% of Conservative, 41% of Labour and 88% of LibDem MPs support fixed terms

43% of English MPs, 39% of Welsh MPs and 52% of Scottish MPs support fixed terms

43% of male MPs and 49% of female MPs support fixed terms

Interviews were carried out in October by ComRes

Last week I introduced a statement of opinion at the National Assembly for Wales calling on all AM’s to support the call for fixed term Westminster elections. A statement of opinion, for those of you who are less aware of the goings on at the Assembly, is more or less the equivalent of an Early Day Motion in Parliament. My statement specifically calls on our Welsh Assembly Ministers to make representations to Westminster with regards to introducing fixed term elections for Parliament.I believe that fixed term elections should be initiated because they would stabilise the democratic process, and would help us move away from the negative style of politics where all power lies in the hands of the Prime Minister - the ‘Presidential’ style of governing which Tony Blair epitomised during his time at Westminster. Gordon Brown entered 10 Downing Street promising to share his ‘vision’ with the British citizens, to restore power to Parliament, and to spearhead constitutional reform: but in action, these promises have faltered. He has returned to his regressive stance, highlighted clearly by his flip flopping over the snap General election - dismissing it at the last moment when the Tories were clearly making ground in the opinion polls. Politics should be about making a difference for our communities, not about whether an election will shore up support for a fledgling London Labour Government.

Here in Wales, as in many other countries, the Assembly election is a four year fixed term event. Time is not wasted waiting for one individual to choose a date, and power is not put in the hands of one person to make such a vital decision. It is predetermined, and all parties can prepare for an election on an equal footing. Smaller parties such as Plaid Cymru, of which I am a member, cannot magic financial backing for elections from the pockets of rich city donors. We need time to prepare fundraising initiatives to ensure that we can fight an election successfully. Allowing one person to decide when an election takes place, especially if it is a snap election, does not give us that opportunity.

The debate on fixed term elections has become far more high profile since key allies of Gordon Brown allegedly put feelers out at their last party Conference on the possibility of a snap election in the autumn. The media was subsequently dominated by stories of ‘will he, won’t he?’, placing far more pressing stories in the shade, such as the human rights violations in Burma, or the Northern Rock crisis closer to home. Many people have told me that I want to take the fun, the excitement, the drama out of politics by advocating fixed term elections to Parliament. But, quite frankly, it is only political anoraks that see the ‘fun’ in one person deciding if there is to be an election or not - especially if that person is as uncharismatic as Gordon Brown! Surely the exciting part of an election is getting on the campaign trail, and that nail biting election night wait, anyway?

Our work as elected representatives is to get out there, and promote our policies at a grassroots level as opposed to wasting everyone’s time debating about when an election will happen. We have until 2009 to wait for another General election…probably. I hope by then the case for fixed terms will be insurmountable.

Bethan Jenkins is the Plaid AM for South Wales West:
http://www.bethanjenkins.blogspot.com

This post originally appeared on OurKingdom.

The electoral machinations of the last two weeks have demonstrated a fundamental flaw in our constitution. It’s time that we had a proper debate on whether the Prime Minister should continue to be able to call an election at a time of his or her choosing. Political and electoral realities mean that all prime ministers - whatever their political affiliation - call an election when they think they can best win it. They would be inhuman - not to say very bad politicians - if they didn’t. But in the 21st century can we really justify this constiutional anomaly any longer?

This site is dedicated to putting the case for fixed term parliaments and designed to begin the process of lobbying for such a move. Its supporters come from across the political spectrum. It’s a web based initiative started by Conservative, Labour and LibDem bloggers. How quickly it succeeds depends on you. If you agree with our aims, sign uo as a supporter and join our mailing list.

If you hold elected office we’d like to add you to our public. Supporters list. Simply add a comment below or email info AT fixedterm.org.uk. And let us know if you can help in any other way. If this campaign gets off the ground we will need to take it way beyond this website.

Let us know what you think we should do to raise the profile of the campaign!

The Stationery Office has published the Fixed Term Parliament Bill, tabled yesterday by David Howarth MP and David Heath MP. You can read its full text HERE.

Two LibDem MPs, David Howarth and David Heath, have tabled a Bill in the House of Commons to introduce Fixed Term Parliaments. More on the LibDem website HERE.

SNP MEP Mr Alyn Smith has today (Monday) published research on how other European countries organise their elections and written to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to suggest that the UK should follow suit. Fixed term elections would end the current political farce where one person in Downing Street can skew the entire London based political system to suit themselves.

Only four EU member states have variable election dates, with 23 member states; the European Parliament; Scottish Parliament and the Welsh, Northern Irish and London assemblies all operating on fixed terms.

Mr Smith said: “The SNP was ready for an election now and we’ll be ready whenever Mr Brown has the courage to go to the country. The big issue that emerges from this farcical will-he-won’t-he charade is that this is no sensible way to run a country. Major policy decisions and announcements have been changed to suit an election that isn’t coming rather than been made in the best interests of the UK and it annoys me that Scotland is affected by this farce. I have written to Mr Brown more in hope than expectation. Fixed terms are the norm not the exception and other countries find the idea of leaving elections to the whim of one political party a strange and undemocratic way to do business. There are 23 EU member states with fixed elections. The European Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, and the Welsh, Northern Irish and London Assemblies all have fixed terms. Until Scotland need no longer participate in UK elections we can at least ask for those elections to be conducted in a modern, coherent and sensible manner.”

The following EU Member States have Fixed Terms…

FIXED

Bulgaria; Cyprus;Estonia; Finland; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; The Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden

FIXED (with flexibility) = elections are to be held within a period of two months before the end of the parliamentary term.

Austria; Belgium;Czech Republic; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Spain

NO FIXED DATE

Denmark ; Ireland; Malta; UK

FIXED OTHERS

Iceland and Norway, the Scottish and European Parliaments, Welsh, Northern Irish and London Assembly elections also have fixed terms.