Best MP?

Yoosk.com is running an online poll to find "Britain's best MP". Ludicrously, they've short listed Lib Dems, three Labour, and then myself - the token Tory.

See the short list at www.yoosk.com. Only some sort of warped Guardianista would think it a fair and proportional sample of our legislators.

That aside, should one really be encouraging readers of this blog to vote for me? In 2009, I'm not sure "best MP" is an accolade one should aspire to.

What counts is how my constituents vote in 2010. Not how everyone else might vote on www.Yoosk.com in the last week of 2009.

Posted on 30 December 2009 by Douglas Carswell

Comments

Jokes aside, the est thing MPs did this year was to replace the speaker. Many people would argue if it wan't for Carswell speaker Martin would still be in the chair.

Could you imagine?

Posted on 30 December 2009 21:07 by Bill T

Good luck Douglas - it must not be that slime ball the Lib Dem MP for Colchester.

He said on the video that he became an MP by accident because of the creation of the Colchester seat. Balls - forgets to say that he stood for Labour and for the SDP in other General Elections prior to his election in 97.

Posted on 30 December 2009 21:17 by Ian McCord

I know your name's on it, but my first reaction was "What a strange list".
Firstly one must ask whether they mean best constituency MP - A friend tell me that Kenneth Clarke was very good to her. Or do they mean best Parliamentary MP, one who has contributed the most to Parliament?
There is a very big difference and very few MPs ever achieve both.
Clearly those shown are ones who have been in the news recently (other than expenses claims), presumably the organisers of the poll haven't heard of any others such as John Redwood, Nadine Dorries, Frank Field or Kate Hooey. But then the last two aren't in favour with the Guardianistas!
I looked at their site to find out exactly who Yoosk.com are and among other things found this statement: "Our clients include the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, The Ministry of Justice, The Department for International Development and the Department for Innovation Universities and skills."
It leaves me speechless!

Posted on 30 December 2009 21:53 by English Pensioner

Hmm. I don't know whether you have been "the best MP", but you have certainly been one of the most useful folk to have in Parliament.

I have seen several of these "best of" thingies around, and many (not all) of them have turned out to be part of a specific agenda and not even pretending to be fair, even-handed or non-partisan. One even has Harriet Harman as one of the top politicians of the past *decade*, would you believe!

What kind of person/organisation could possibly make such a suggestion as that.?

Posted on 30 December 2009 23:10 by John Ward

Well I voted anyway - because at least you have a Plan for the future.

Posted on 31 December 2009 09:31 by tim byram

Well, regardless of your feelings about the blog itself, you appear to have won by a lightyear.

46% of all votes, including mine.

A title well deserved, however hollow the accolade is. Have a good New Year.

Posted on 31 December 2009 11:00 by David Fulton

You appear to have won easily, Douglas. Happy New Year!

Posted on 31 December 2009 19:44 by Peter Thomas

Congratulations and happy New Year! A great start!

Posted on 1 January 2010 20:38 by Steve Baker

Another well done also Douglas,
from a small minority, that hopes of a large majority for you this year.

Happy new Year to you and yours.
kind regards, Ian Burrit.

Posted on 2 January 2010 06:58 by Ian Burrit

Well Douglas, if you believe that elections should be "fair and proportional" you will be campaigning for a change to our parliamentary voting system I presume.

Posted on 6 January 2010 11:12 by John

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