I am sure that a lot of people, like myself, wrote to their Tory MPs urging them to support the Lords’ amendments on the Borders Bill.
Clearly they did not, but voted to make it even harder for refugees to come here.
MPs are supposed to represent their constituents. Maybe, just maybe, my MP got more emails telling her to vote with the government and stick to their guns. There is no way of finding out. Even if I ask the question she is not obliged to answer and disclose what she has received. Furthermore, my MP, I’m sure like many others in the government, always quotes her large majority as being the mandate to vote with the government every single time.
Yes, she had a very large majority in 2019 and I daresay she will get a majority in 2024, though I believe it will be reduced.
However, it is disingenuous for her to suggest that she is carrying out the will of her constituents in all matters because of her majority, whether they have written to her or not.
People have and are changing their minds about the policies of this government. In Cornwall, and across the country, people are changing their minds about Brexit. They are also unhappy about matters such as Partygate etc.
In my constituency, voting intentions now show that a majority of constituents would not vote Conservative. This was not the case for my MP in the last election, although it was the case for my former MP in Hertfordshire.
The will of the people is not reflected in parliament. This is particularly so when an extreme left or right government has a large majority. Most people are naturally moderate, and have lashings of human kindness. This government is not and does not. Some Conservative backbenchers and ex-Conservative MPs are speaking out against this government’s policies which they do not recognise as being Conservative.
So we have a runaway government. Because of their large mandate, they do as they please.
The system is broken, undemocratic and has been for years. If the people’s wishes are to be adequately represented some form of PR is essential. No system is perfect but anything would be better than what we have now. In the meantime, however much of a pain it maybe, please write to your MPs and tell them what you think. In the case of my own constituency, particularly if you voted Conservative at the last election and feel that your views are not being reflected.
I do not believe, from everything I see being done and said, by people in South East Cornwall that for one moment the people here wanted to make it more difficult for Ukranians to seek refuge here. This is what the government has done.
And they voted for just that.