Petition: Stop leaders using government jobs to get MPs’ support

(Redrafted and published as ‘Require Parliamentary approval for all ministerial appointments and removal‘)

The appointment of MPs to government jobs creates a potential conflict between their responsibilities to their constituents and their duties as public officials. Parliament should ensure that leaders’ powers to make such appointments are not used to influence MPs’ votes in the House of Commons.

Appointments to government jobs should be made on the basis of ability and experience, rather than on MPs’ commitment to party policy or loyalty to the party leader, and incumbents should not be removed from office just to make way for someone else.

To constrain leaders’ powers of patronage, we ask that Parliament establish a requirement that no Member of Parliament be removed from a government job without Parliament’s consent, as demonstrated (where necessary) in a secret ballot.

This is one of a number of constitutional reform petitions I’ve started. Please also look at the others and sign any that you agree with. (Link opens in a new tab)