Independent MPs call for change to committee rules

4 months ago 51
ARTICLE AD BOX

Reuters Leicester South MP Shockat Adam speaks successful  the House of Commons from the backbenches during a statement   earlier this yearReuters

Leicester South MP Shockat Adam speaking successful the House of Commons earlier this year

Two autarkic MPs are calling for changes to the mode seats connected parliamentary committees are allocated, saying the existent strategy is "undemocratic".

Shockat Adam and Iqbal Mohamed, who were elected successful 2024 arsenic autarkic MPs, privation to beryllium connected prime committees, which tin question ministers; oregon measure committees, which scrutinise authorities successful detail.

Speaking to BBC News, Mohamed said the telephone was astir having adjacent accidental to lend and being a "good parliamentarian".

Their comments followed a Procedure Committee proceeding earlier this week wherever MPs heard astir their experiences arsenic autarkic members.

During the proceeding some Adam and Mohamed said the deficiency of committee rank opportunities impacted their quality to afloat correspond constituents.

Adam, who represents Leicester South, said it felt arsenic though autarkic MPs were "not capable to contribute" with their expertise to committees.

"We're inactive arsenic elected arsenic immoderate different idiosyncratic from immoderate governmental party, we clasp the aforesaid mandate.

"That is 1 country that we miss retired and I consciousness that my constituents miss retired on," helium said.

Speaking to BBC News pursuing the hearing, Mohamed, who represents Dewsbury and Batley successful West Yorkshire, said his tendency to beryllium connected a prime committee was astir adjacent opportunity.

"It's being a bully citizen, a bully parliamentarian and having that accidental to lend successful the aforesaid mode arsenic different MPs.

"It does travel crossed arsenic somewhat undemocratic, but the purpose isn't to beryllium the aforesaid oregon regenerate oregon footwear retired different people; it's conscionable having that aforesaid accidental to lend to the governance of our country," helium said.

Under existent parliamentary rules autarkic MPs are not automatically entitled to rank connected prime oregon measure committees.

For prime committees, governmental parties power the process and allocate seats successful proportionality to the size of each party's parliamentary intake.

This means that the Labour Party gets the largest stock of prime committee seats, past the Conservatives, followed by the Liberal Democrats and truthful on.

However, parties are capable to voluntarily springiness up a spot for an autarkic MP oregon an MP from a antithetic party, specified arsenic erstwhile the Green party's Caroline Lucas was fixed a spot connected the Environmental Audit Committee from 2015 to 2024.

All MPs tin inquire questions successful the Commons enclosure and enactment successful debates determination and successful Westminster Hall, arsenic good arsenic submitting written questions to ministers.

Mohamed said his inheritance successful subject and engineering was 1 happening helium could bring to a prime oregon measure committee.

He besides mentioned the "wide breadth of experience" autarkic MPs person crossed their alliance, arsenic good arsenic their involvement successful overseas affairs - respective won their seats connected pro-Gaza platforms.

"We're astatine a constituent successful past wherever the nationalist person mislaid religion successful authorities and politicians - and I'm including myself successful that radical due to the fact that I'm portion of that elected radical now. And thing we tin bash to rebuild that spot and to show fairness, impartiality, transparency, balance...I deliberation it's lone a bully thing," helium said.

Five of the independents - including Adam, Mohamed and erstwhile Labour person Jeremy Corbyn - wrote to the Speaker successful September announcing they were forming an "independent alliance" successful Parliament.

This is known arsenic a method grouping, differing from a governmental enactment arsenic members are bound by shared interests and ideology alternatively than nether an authoritative organisation.

This prompted the Procedure Committee to statesman holding inquiries into the presumption of parliamentary groupings and autarkic MPs arsenic a whole.

A spokesperson for the Procedure Committee said: "The Procedure Committee has undertaken an enquiry into the presumption of autarkic MPs successful House procedures.

"The enquiry is inactive ongoing and the committee volition study backmost with its proposals successful owed course."

Read Entire Article