Faults of Westminster
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Faults of WestminsterToo many MPs take on the role, not to represent their constituents and scrutinise critically government proposals and actions, but as part of a career leading to ministerial office. This weakens Parliament. By convention ministers in public support government policy uncritically. Backbench MPs aspiring to government office are careful not to upset the whips. The government even controls nominations to committees of Parliament, although these are not Government offices. Ministers owe their position entirely to the Prime Minister's patronage. The fact that they are usually elected to represent one of over six hundred constituencies does not make them lected as ministers, any more than county or parish councilors, or MEPs, could claim to be democratically elected to ministerial office. The convention that ministers are MPs (or to a diminishing extent members of the House of Lords) goes back to the time when Parliament could only hold its own members to account. Parliamentary committees now summon anybody relevant to give evidence. As in America there needs to be complete separation between legislature and executive. |
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Sheila
Porter-Williams |