I resigned my seat in the NS legislature because I could not continue in a certain party. I did not think it proper to continue to hold it under any other label. So I agree with you. That said, however, one finds it hard not to forgive Reform for thinking tactically at this stage in their development. If they had by elections and lost one or more, it would halt their extraordinary momentum That is something they cannot afford to risk.
I thoroughly agree - this should become a convention. And yet....... It is famously difficult for a new party to gain a toe-hold as things stand, and so I quite understand the reluctance within Reform and for the individuals concerned. Sometimes it really is the case that discretion should be the better part of valour (or principle). I would be harder on Reform over this if any of the Lib/Lab/Con defections over the past decades had taken the honourable path.
Well said Jacob. As a slightly miffed Conservative voter in Newark on Trent it seems dishonest and entirely dishonourable for Robert Jenrick to swap sides after we voted Conservative only recently and not now call a By-election. As you say - We voted Conservative - we didn’t vote Reform. To now be represented by a Reform MP feels entirely illegitimate.
Totally agree. I was living in Witney when Shaun Woodward defected to Labour and I was annoyed we were no longer a Conservative seat. A by-election should be held straight away in all such instances.
I was always taught the opposite i.e. vote for your local candidate that you think will do the best job for the local constituents. I do realise that this doesn't very often happen though. I suppose I am guilty of this also having worked away for most of my working life, I was seldom around for elections and knew almost nothing about any of the candidates. The exception was when I lived in Grimsby and Austin Mitchell was the MP - not really worth voting for anyone else!
I resigned my seat in the NS legislature because I could not continue in a certain party. I did not think it proper to continue to hold it under any other label. So I agree with you. That said, however, one finds it hard not to forgive Reform for thinking tactically at this stage in their development. If they had by elections and lost one or more, it would halt their extraordinary momentum That is something they cannot afford to risk.
I thoroughly agree - this should become a convention. And yet....... It is famously difficult for a new party to gain a toe-hold as things stand, and so I quite understand the reluctance within Reform and for the individuals concerned. Sometimes it really is the case that discretion should be the better part of valour (or principle). I would be harder on Reform over this if any of the Lib/Lab/Con defections over the past decades had taken the honourable path.
Well said Jacob. As a slightly miffed Conservative voter in Newark on Trent it seems dishonest and entirely dishonourable for Robert Jenrick to swap sides after we voted Conservative only recently and not now call a By-election. As you say - We voted Conservative - we didn’t vote Reform. To now be represented by a Reform MP feels entirely illegitimate.
Totally agree. I was living in Witney when Shaun Woodward defected to Labour and I was annoyed we were no longer a Conservative seat. A by-election should be held straight away in all such instances.
As always I enjoyed your article. Thank you.
Sir Jakie,
You seem out of breath and you are coughing. Your breathing seems to be labored. Your brain is a mile a head of your lungs.
I was always taught the opposite i.e. vote for your local candidate that you think will do the best job for the local constituents. I do realise that this doesn't very often happen though. I suppose I am guilty of this also having worked away for most of my working life, I was seldom around for elections and knew almost nothing about any of the candidates. The exception was when I lived in Grimsby and Austin Mitchell was the MP - not really worth voting for anyone else!
The constitutional ideal is a noble one but rare in practice.