Self-seeking politicians:
some remedies
It is an appropriate moment to consider how our political system could be improved in order to reduce the risks of further major errors of policy (e.g. finance) and corrupt or irresponsible behaviour by MPs and government ministers.
Factors to be addressed include:
Low political influence of MPs and parliament and dominance of country and parliament by the "executive" (essentially, so it seems, the prime minister and a few confidants). Parliament cannot effectively scrutinise government nor EU proposals and in recent decades has rarely acted effectively to introduce, change or reject (proposed) policy and law. The self-esteem of MPs is thus reduced and the chances of anti-social behaviour by them increased. .
An electoral system -- "first past the post" -- which produces very poor representation of the people's political will.
Powerlessness of the people. After giving away your vote to a political party and MP you have no say at all until the next election. Even Quintin Hogg called this state of affairs "elective dictatorship". We as an electorate have no effective way to put forward a proposal and no way to veto an unwanted law.
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org/
sign up for reform at
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/i-and-r.gb