Lee's random blog

You’ve probably read the interview in Total Politics with Sir Nicholas Winterton by now. Sir Nicholas was elected a Tory MP in 1971, the year I was born, which makes him a veteran of the party.  However, those at Conservative HQ are no doubt shaking their heads over his somewhat ill considered remarks about MP’s and expense paid rail travel.

“And now they want to stop members of Parliament travelling first class. That puts us below local councillors and officers of local government. They all travel first class. Majors in the army travel first class. So we are supposed to stand when there are no seats. And why are we going to waste our time when we can work on the train as we do. I’m sorry. It infuriates me.”

Well, I can totally see what he is getting at.  I travel a lot for work and if I am lucky enough to get to travel first class it does indeed allow me to get a lot more work done that if I am pressed tightly against someone in standard class, with loads of noise around me.  Fair enough, you’d think.  But then he digs himself into another kind of hole.

“They [standard-class passengers] are a totally different type of people  -  they have a different outlook on life. They may be reading a book but I doubt whether they’re undertaking serious work or study, reading reports or amending reports that MPs do when they travel.”

This, obviously, is a lot of rubbish.  Most people would choose to travel in First Class if given the choice.  Its quiet, it’s more spacious and they serve you tea and coffee.  Why wouldn’t someone want that?  There is nothing different about the people that travel in standard class other than they have paid less for their seat.  What is present in Sir Nicholas’ view is privilege and the mistaken idea that the reason you have something that others don’t is because they are different and somehow don’t deserve it.

Sir Nicholas’ view seems to typify the view of privilege held by many people in the UK.  Not that I grudge anyone decent stuff in life and a chair in First Class if you can afford it.  Lets just have a dose of reality alongside it.  He has the First Class seat because he can pay for it.  People have the privilege they have because they can afford it, be that through family money or their own hard work.  Lets not make the mistake that that simple fact makes them ‘better’ people than those travelling in standard class.  It only makes them better at having money and spending it.

What is problematic about privilege is the justification that arises in the minds of the people who posses it and their blindness to the reality of others.  The fact that Sir Nicholas really feels this way about the people who travel in standard class is frightening.  There is no ‘they’ that travel in standard class.  There is only the diversity of humanity in all its guises, each living a personal experience that Sir Nicholas cannot conceive of.  Surely we need to be able to embrace this truth in order to be a good public servant.  Otherwise the constituency you are serving is the constituency of yourself, from your own perspective, true only to your own needs.

(Photo by ThePatrick, http://www.flickr.com/photos/pftqg/, used under Creative Commons license, artist not connected with any opinions here given)

What do I have to do to become an MP?

This is a serious topic but lets first start with a light-hearted answer pulled off a blog:

“In practical terms, to actually become an MP, you would have to be selected by one of the major parties, which means you’d first have to be a member of one of those parties, and you’d have to have worked for them for a while – by financially supporting them, campaigning, supporting campaigns, being active on a local level. There is no hard and fast rule – having connections in the hierarchy of the party (whether that means, say, trade union connections, friendships from university and so on) doesn’t half help, I’m betting. Not having too many skeletons in one’s closet is an advantage – you might want to start clearing the really dodgy pictures off your social networking profiles and so on.”

This is pretty much spot on. But don’t worry everyone has a chance. Broadly speaking, there are a number of clear steps to take.

Step 1: Make sure you’re eligible to apply

You can apply to stand as an MP if you are at least 18 years old, a citizen of a Commonwealth Country or the Republic of Ireland, are nominated by 10 electors from your constituency and have the £500 deposit. People disqualified from becoming an MP are convicted prisoners, peers in the House of Lords, Bishops, civil servants and serving members of the armed forces. (More info, Electoral Commission Nominations Factsheet [PDF])

Step 2: Choose and join a political party

Three parties dominate politics in the UK.
The Labour Party, (355 seats in the House of Commons)
The Conservative Party, (197 seats)
The Liberal Democrats, (63 seats).

How do I choose which one to support?
The best answer someone gave to me when I asked this question was to pick the areas of politics you are most interested in, be that education, defense, the economy, health, etc and see which parties policies on that issue best match your own views. Also, being a member of a political party is a bit like being a member of a tribe. Go to a few local meetings and see which group of people seems to feel like the best fit for you. Often joining a political party is a choice for life so choose the people that feel like your tribe.

Could I get involved as an independent?
You can stand as an independent MP as long as you are eligible, as per the criteria above. Usually, independent MPs are not elected. There are only 2 in parliament at the moment. This is partly due to the nature of party politics. The voters are essentially electing a party to government, rather than individuals so standing as an independent does not serve that end. Also, candidates usually need the support of volunteers to help them run their campaign, envelope stuffing, knocking on doors, etc so being an independent is time consuming and lonely. Being part of a party gives you support, a team and access to funds to help you run your campaign. Take a look at Esther Rantzen’s campaign in Luton where she is standing as an independent MP for an idea of what this route takes.

Step 3: Figure out how to stand for that party

Conservatives (From their website)

The first step in the application process to join the Approved List of candidates is to write to the Candidates’ Department at Conservative Campaign Headquarters (30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4DP) setting out why you would like to be a candidate, and enclose a copy of your CV.

It will be helpful if you set out any work you have done in your local community, and achievements in your work or your personal life which you think would make you an effective MP. If you are chosen to proceed to the next stage, you will also need to provide details of three referees.

Once your application has been received by CCHQ they will take up references before considering you for a Parliamentary Assessment Board (PAB): This is a day long assessment by MPs and senior Party volunteers who will make the final decision about whether to add your name to the Approved List of candidates. (Please note there is a £250 fee for attending a PAB and you must have been a member of the Party for at least 3 months before you can attend.)

Preparation:

• If you have not already done so, make contact with your local Conservative Association.
• If there are any elections in the offing, be sure to volunteer to help during the campaign.
• Consider becoming a Council candidate.
• Consider your commitments to local voluntary community organisations and charities. Your involvement in these areas indicates a commitment to public service.
• Think realistically about the role of a candidate. Is it the right time for you as far as your professional and private life is concerned? Are you prepared to travel to a far flung constituency and how much time can you devote to fighting a seat?
• Understand the role and job of an MP. Browse the CWO Bookshop: MPs and Parliament.
• Consider any training needs you have as many of the skills needed by an MP can be taught, i.e. public speaking and presentation.

The Lib Dems: How To Be A Parliamentary Candidate

If you are interested in becoming a candidate or would like further information with regards to the approvals process please contact the Candidates’ Office

If you would like further information about the selection process please contact your relevant state:

• England: the English Candidates’ Office
• Scotland the Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Wales: the Welsh Liberal Democrats

Our website www.libdems4parliament.org.uk also provides more information and support for our selection process. The Campaign for Gender Balance exists to promote the election of more female MPs. The Parliamentary Candidates Association (PCA) is the voice of Liberal Democrat candidates. The PCA aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills to become approved candidates, achieve selection and win elections by providing support, advice and tailored training. More information about the PCA can be found on its websitewww.libdempca.org.uk or by contactingchair@libdempca.org.uk.

Labour

Labour Womens’ Network has an ongoing Training Programme for all women in the Labour Party who are interested in seeking selection to public office. This includes local government, the Scottish Parliament, Welsh National Assembly, the Greater London Assembly, European Parliament and Westminster Parliament. If you are a LWN subscriber we provide a ‘CV Support Service’ by email.

Our subscription for Labour Party women members is still only £15 for waged, and £5 low/unwaged. We also provide one day events, if enough women are interested in taking part, in public speaking and presentation skills, and writing a speech and, on request, training for other relevant skills. If you are interested, please contact them oncontact@lwn.org.uk