The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The flaws of the NUS's "right to recall" campaign

The right to recall will not apply to those MPs who break election promises.

By George Eaton Published 15 November 2010 13:27

Those Liberal Democrat MPs who, in defiance of their election promises, are planning to vote to triple tuition fees, deserve to be punished by the electorate. But I'm not convinced that the National Union of Student's new "Right to Recall" campaign (launched today) is the best way to achieve this.

The campaign is an ironic attempt to use the Lib Dems' own weapon against themselves. The NUS notes that the party promised to use a new "right to recall" procedure against MPs "who break promises or are found guilty of impropriety". Once the "right to recall" becomes law, the union promises to force pro-fees MPs to face byelections.

But the Lib Dems never suggested that MPs who break their promises should be targeted, merely those who "break the rules". The "right to recall" initiative was specifically designed to respond to the extraordinary circumstances of the expenses scandal. The Liberal Democrat manifesto was clear on this point:

[We] will give you the right to sack MPs who have broken the rules. We would introduce a recall system so that constituents could force a byelection for any MP found responsible for serious wrongdoing.

We can debate whether voters should also have the right to recall those MPs who break election promises, but for now the entire NUS campaign is founded on a false premise. There is no prospect of any MP being recalled for anything other than illegal behaviour.

It's also reasonable of anti-fees Lib Dems such as Evan Harris (who topped elections for the party's federal executive) to point out that the NUS never suggested voting against, "let alone recalling", Labour MPs who broke their promise not to introduce top-up fees.

The NUS will not target anti-fees MPs such as Tim Farron, the party's new president, but for the rest, "decapitation", not recall, looks like the best bet.

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View the discussion thread.

17 comments

Tue, 2010-11-16 23:07 — Davebones (not verified)

Recalling MPs' is not going to help anyone...MPs were never the cause of the dire economic state of the country...it was the banking system and offshore investors.....do you know how much a trillion dollars is...??....it's 1000 billion....and a billion is 1000 million....there's at least 5 trillion sitting in offshore accounts...!!!!!.....the problem is far bigger than politics and certainly Nick Clegg.....

Wed, 2010-11-17 01:37 — R Spandit (not verified)

I still think this is worth proceeding with. If the NUS could collect 10% or more of the signatures of Clegg's electorate that would be very embarassing.

If they could collect signatures from 40% of the electorate (i.e. more people than voted for Clegg), I don't think he could realistically go on.

clegg votes = 27,324
electorate = 69,383
clegg voters = 39.38 of electorate

Sun, 2010-11-21 21:49 — A Brown (not verified)

Well the NUS has to scare as many Mps as possible against voting against a rise - this includes tory and labour ones as well.

Tue, 2010-11-16 09:23 — Notostudentfees (not verified)

George Eaton is simply being pedantic about this. The NUS have launched a campaign to recall lying MPs - good for them. End of story for the Lib Dems who have plumbed the depths of duplicity just to get a taste of power.

Mon, 2010-11-15 13:34 — Stephen Brown (not verified)

Quite honestly, Evan Harris makes a completely desperate party political point. The NUS leadership is elected every year and has changed President 4 times since Labour introduced fees. It's pretty ok for this leadership to choose to do something different.

Moreover, Aaron Porter has already said that he would include any Labour MPs who vote in favour of the rise in fees in the campaign.

Mon, 2010-11-15 13:37 — jie4v7i14

state the bleeding obvious, of course there was, christs sake.

Rampage any time he appears in his constituency, since ones who have voted for him are allowed to visit him or her, as long as you leave your samorai swords and various cutlery outside.

But, Sheffield Hallam, I have a song, for a while, from Cleggs Sheffield Hallam. Check it out, it is brilliant, Northern Kind,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcoGU5i9E9s

Mon, 2010-11-15 13:45 — Nick (not verified)

"...the NUS never suggested voting against, "let alone recalling", Labour MPs who broke their promise not to introduce top-up fees."

I think he's trying to conflate two different things here - there is the manifesto or the party line, which is one thing. But the NUS campaign is actually about a very specific pledge that the Lib Dem MPs (not sure whether it was quite all of them, but the vast majority) signed personally as candidates that if elected they would vote against any rise in fees.

That is quite different to just the party policy changing.

I would assume that of if any of the Labour MPs who signed the pledge also renege on it then they would also get the same treatment, but so far they're all sticking to it.

Mon, 2010-11-15 13:48 — Marie (not verified)

hameless and opportunistic misinterpreation of a great idea from the NUS, I foolishly expected better.

Interesting to see it says says you won't vote for your MP - or their party.

If people do sign up, I would quite like a list of all those who break this pledge and their reasons for it...

Mon, 2010-11-15 13:57 — William (not verified)

Coalitions are great aren't they, you can completely ignore your manifesto! Can't wait for AV, then politicians can say whatever they like in an election campaign safe in the knowledge they've got a get-out-of-jail-free-card to avoid implementing any of it.

Mon, 2010-11-15 14:01 — jie4v7i14

Anything goes to challenge an MP, as long as that one person who visits him has solid support behind him, make sure of that, that is the main element.

Take no prisoners, when you face them.

Mon, 2010-11-15 14:03 — Lou (not verified)

Firstly, the legislation isn't on the statute yet to recall anyone for whatever reason. Secondly, Cameron was very clear every time he spoke about this and the reasons for recall - where an MP has LEGALLY been found to have broken the rules or guilty of serious misconduct in office. Thirdly, the Standards and Privileges Committee still has to authorise any recall vote.

Breach of promises would not fulfill the criteria set out - although I think it should, particularly in this case.

The most we can hope for is shaming MPs, creating a media nightmare for the Coaltion particularly the Lib Dems, bringing the attention of the local MP to the wider electorate, more people on marches, protesting, campaigning against this Govt and it's policies. Then come the local government elections, let's hope that vast numbers of Lib Dem and Tory councillors are kicked out and the obvious no confidence of the electorate in the parties of the coalition makes someone in Parliament go for a vote of no confidence leading to an election before 2015.

Mon, 2010-11-15 14:10 — Unity (not verified)

The recall ballot measure was only ever a bit of bait and switch.

If an MP is found guilty of 'serious wrongdoing' then why go to all the hassle of a recall ballot? If its that serious, just disbar them a la Phil Woolas and have done with it.

Recall ballots are only worthwhile if they can be used to remove an MP for incompetence or misleading their constituents.

Thu, 2010-11-18 18:31 — mark bishop (not verified)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweep-for-next-libdem-leader/162594320428638

Mon, 2010-11-15 15:10 — Union Steve

Your all missing the point. Judges should not sack MP's the voters should. The only sanction should be a re-run. If the MP's in jail the vote accordingley. Who elected lord Denning and the rest anti-union judges.

Mon, 2010-11-15 16:04 — CrISpY DuCk

I must admit I have not got a clue about these things but could money not be raised to bring a civil action against Clegg for breach of contract.Even if not successful it would cause him no end of embarrassment.

Mon, 2010-11-15 16:21 — CrISpY DuCk

CONTRAST THIS

Nick Clegg was secretly plotting to ditch his pledge to axe tuition fees two months before the election, it was revealed last night.

In a grave embarrassment for the Deputy Prime Minister, secret papers have revealed that the Liberal Democrats drew up plans to abandon the pledge even as they were publicly promising university students they would oppose fees.

On March 16, a secret Lib Dem team set up to prepare for a possible coalition government decided to ditch the policy.

But a month later, Mr Clegg publicly denounced the ‘dead weight of debt’ facing students and publicly signed a pledge to oppose any increase in tuition fees. Every one of his party colleagues also signed the pledge.

WITH THIS

Nick Clegg's pre-election pledge to students.
The words on the pledge signed by Nick Clegg and every Lib-Dem election candidate reads:
"I pledge
To Vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative"
Signed
Nick Clegg

From the NUS web site:

"Nick Clegg signed the NUS pledge during a visit to the University of Cambridge on the election trail. During the campaign he said:

"Labour and the Conservatives have been trying to keep tuition fees out of this election campaign. It's because they don't want to come clean with you about what they're planning. Despite the huge financial strain fees already place on Britain's young people, it is clear both Labour and the Conservatives want to lift the cap on fees. If fees rise to £7,000 a year, as many rumours suggest they would, within five years some students will be leaving university up to £44,000 in debt. That would be a disaster. If we have learnt one thing from the economic crisis, it is that you can't build a future on debt.

"The Liberal Democrats are different. Not only will we oppose any raising of the cap, we will scrap tuition fees for good, including for part-time students. We can't do it overnight, but we can start straight away with students in their first year - that way means anyone at university this autumn will have their debt cut by at least £3,000. Students can make the difference in countless seats in this election. Use your vote to block those unfair tuition fees and get them scrapped once and for all."

Mon, 2010-11-15 17:41 — swatantra

This right to recall is going nowhere. Its pretty pointless forcing yet another bye election on an already fatigued electorate and basically saying to them you were silly enough to make the mistake in electing the incumbent, whose not quite up to the job, or broke his pledges, said one thing and did another. But politicians jave always done that. However if criminal charges can be laid against them ok lets call that bye election.