UK Tory chief whip under pressure to resign over pairing row
8 replies, posted
In the UK Parliament, it's a longstanding convention that an MP who can't be present for a vote can arrange to be "paired" with an MP from the other side; both of them agreeing not to vote so that it cancels out.
On Tuesday there was an extremely close and important vote on a Brexit trade bill. Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson is currently on maternity leave and so was paired with Tory MP Brandon Lewis. Then this happened:
https://twitter.com/joswinson/status/1019298949344219137
Brandon Lewis had voted anyway.
Turns out the Tory chief whip told him to do it, along with some other MPs who refused. This is a violation of a basic political norm and people are pretty pissed, though the chief whip is claiming it was an honest mistake
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/19/tory-whip-julian-smith-urged-to-explain-pairing-breach-that-caused-serious-damage
The Lib Dems are also calling for proxy voting to be introduced, so absent MPs can just vote remotely instead of using this ancient system
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pairing-mps_uk_5b504632e4b0fd5c73c2485c
Yes to both. Proxy voting brings fairness to a Parliament which is losing all of its honour, and the whip should absolutely resign or be resigned for taking political advantage of a new mother on maternity leave. Disgusting.
Well that's one to break everyone's trust in your party.
When a political party in the UK pulls shit like this, are there actual consequences besides a small dip in polls for a week?
This past week has been nothing but insanity for the Anglo-sphere.
Only the past week?
coin toss either way, if things over here are anything to go by. People just don't seem to have enough energy to do anything about politicians being asshats anymore.
Tories are scum
Never trust a Tory to play fair.
Any rule you can name they probably consider below them.
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