DON’T believe what you read about Conservative leader David Cameron opposing any changes to the way we elect our MPs – because nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, he has a cunning plan to cull the number of MPs across the North, to secure a Tory majority in England for a generation.
What’s astonishing is that Labour is sleepwalking into this disaster, having waited too long to scrap the first-past-the-post system that will allow him to pull it off.
Under Mr Cameron’s plans, about 65 – or ten per cent – of Britain’s MPs would disappear, as he takes advantage of the expenses scandal and the anger it unleashed.
In the Commons last week he explained which MPs would be culled – and it won’t be those in Tory Surrey. Instead, he will target Labour seats in the North, and also Wales, with the fewest electors.
Mr Cameron said: “At present, some constituencies have twice as many voters as others, which puts a premium on some votes. Is it not time to ask the Boundary Commission to redraw boundaries to make them all the same size? At the same time, should we not be reducing the size of the House of Commons?”
Where are these doomed seats? Well, how about Easington (electorate, 62,562), Sedgefield (63,917), Darlington (65,872), Bishop Auckland (67,474) and Stockton North (67,529). All have far fewer voters than the biggest Tory seats, such as Croydon South (78,363), Meriden, in Warwickshire (78,714), Banbury, in Oxfordshire (78,817) and Hornchurch and Upminster, in Essex (79,496).
However, I am not criticising Mr Cameron here. It is wrong that it takes fewer voters to send a Labour MP to Westminster, so he has every justification for ending this bias.
No, my beef is with Labour for spending 12 years ducking the challenge of voting reform – only to hint at change just as Gordon Brown faces ballot-box disaster.
I have long supported proportional representation, primarily because the current system means the votes of most people in the North-East count for little.
Depressingly, elections are decided by a small number of floating voters in key marginal seats in Middle England – which is why Labour runs scared of radical policies. But it is much too late for change now. It seems the “reform” will be a Tory cull of Labour constituencies – and Labour will have years and years to regret its monumental error.
CHIEF whip Nick Brown may have issued a grovelling apology to Alan Milburn, after accusing him of “plotting” against Gordon Brown – but John Prescott is less forgiving.
The former deputy prime minister is gunning for the Darlington MP after spotting him in “intense discussion” with Charles Clarke, just moments after the latter told the Prime Minister to quit.
On his blog, Mr Prescott writes: “I went over and offered to be the secretary for their little club. With nervous laughter, my offer was turned down. I later saw David Miliband and Milburn in a similar intense discussion.
My suspicions were now heightened...”
IN the absence of a North-East candidate to be Commons Speaker, this column’s choice is... anyone but Ann Widdecombe.
This job involves listening in on the chamber every day. That Widdecombe voice – worse than chalk dragged down a blackboard – might force me to look for another one.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article