Campaigners calling for a more accountable parliament have branded reselection of Eleanor Laing and the selection of Rory Stewart a return to business as usual in the Commons. 

“With unemployment hovering at 2½ million it seems two workers at least are able to buck the trend. Hearty congratulations to both Eleanor and Rory for achieving the job security most of us could only dream of.

 

“The selection of Laing and Stewart reveal two sides of the same problem – super safe seats that produce unshakable incumbents and undefeatable newcomers. In these seats the only meaningful choice on offer rests with the parties. The rest of us may’s well stay at home.

 

“If Epping Forrest’s Tories want to stand Laing as their candidate, then that’s their choice. But Epping Forrest’s voters have little to no chance of holding her to account come the election. In Penrith & the Border voters have an ‘MP in Waiting’ following the Conservative nomination. The only contest in town has come and gone. Rory is already looking for property in the area – a move no opponent would be foolish enough to make with our fait accompli elections. Opponents would be better off scrabbling around for the bus ticket home, if indeed they bother campaigning at all.

“After all we’ve seen this summer it’s still that the parties aren’t going to sort themselves out. Far too many parts of this country are effectively in the pocket of one party while most of their voters are left without the representation they asked for. It’s high time all voters – not just a select few party hacks – had a real say on who represents them in Westminster.

 

“The NLP argue for a wide variety of improvements to our democracy. We advocate Swiss-style referendums and initiative votes as well as for Proportional representation. We also argue for recall to allow politicians who have lost public confidence to be sacked. The public has lost faith in the current system and the re-selection of Laing and Stewart is yet another nail in the coffin.”