Speaker Shepherd - why I'm voting for Richard Shepherd to be next Speaker

Speaker Shepherd is the right man to clean up Parliament. 

Firstly, his own expense claims have been very modest.  Secondly, he campaigned for Freedom of Information law years before it became fashionable. Together that gives him the moral authority to force transparency on an unwilling tribe in SW1.

Better than anyone else I’ve met in four years in the Commons, Richard understands that sovereignty of Parliament is shorthand for sovereignty of the people. 

Too many in Westminster see the Speaker’s contest through the prism of self-interest. They seem to want to elect a shop steward for politicians, rather than a Speaker able to restore public faith in the political process.

Richard grasps that change must also mean making those we elect effective at holding government to account. Parliament needs back its purpose. He’s ideas on how it is to be done. 

Speaker Shepherd would be no apologist for indolent politicians blinded by a sense of entitlement – but he would make them answer properly to you.

Posted on 22 June 2009 by Douglas Carswell

Comments

Great just in case do you have a second preference

Posted on 22 June 2009 08:09 by Ian

Unfortunately the likelihood is neglible Dougy, but wish him well; you should focus your energies on getting a general election called - if Mandlesnake works his dark arts we will be ratifying the Lisbon Treaty proper and little of what the British people need or want or what you talk about in the plan will be possible; it will all be academic.

At least we will have beaten the Americans to the punch by having fiat control from a federal government long before Obama runs the US into the ground and declares it a peoples republic.

Posted on 22 June 2009 08:27 by Thom

Hear, hear. If the public gets the government deserves, I fear that the same probably applies to the Speaker of the House Of Commons. A decent Parliament would choose Shepherd.

Posted on 22 June 2009 09:19 by Praguetory

I agree that Richard Shepherd would make a good speaker - great manifesto, loads of integrity and a man of conviction.

Sir George Young would be my first choice, though.

Posted on 22 June 2009 09:36 by http://faustiesblog.blogspot.com/

I've been singing the praises of Richard Shepherd to anyone who'll listen. I'm glad he's your first choice and sorry he hasn't received wider support.

Posted on 22 June 2009 09:41 by GV

Oh I agree with you Douglas!
Watching the hustings, he gets really fired up and angry about things - the passion and the will to do it is all there.
He also appears to be an effective stalwart against any silly, fleeting ideas - he's thinking about Parliament in the long-term, and definitely in it to boost its power and standing.

Posted on 22 June 2009 09:45 by Anton Howes

Unfortunately Shepherd isn't going to make it past round 1. So who are you going to vote for in the second round?

Posted on 22 June 2009 10:28 by It doesn't add up...

Fine, but who ae you voting for in the second round afetr your man has been eliminated.

Posted on 22 June 2009 11:26 by Alex

A pity he didn't win it last time - we wouldn't be in this situation now.

Posted on 22 June 2009 11:40 by Nick

Richard Shephard as the man who is going to bring our tattered Parliament back from the mir? Totally underwhelming. Why the hell didn't you stand Douglas?

Posted on 22 June 2009 12:06 by Backbench Warrior

Incidentally have a look at this:

http://lpuk.blogspot.com/2009/06/mandelson-brown-cameron-blair-arrogant.html

The warnings are coming thick and fast - even Daniel is trying to drive this point home.

And no amount of posturing from Cambo to create a new European conservative party will alter my thinking; if anything this is proof that the erosion of parliament in exchange for becoming another European Soviet is all the more real, with jobs for those who get behind it and destruction for those who stand against it.

Posted on 22 June 2009 13:04 by Thom

1 person spoilt their vote...I was very excited till I got home and found out it was Mann.

Your letting the side down Dougy, is this what fatherhood does to you? 4 weeks and counting till I find out first hand.

Posted on 22 June 2009 18:36 by Thom

Quote: "More a reflection on the character of our MPs?" The sad fact is that no matter how highly principled a new MP may be on first entering Parliament he or she has to toe the party line to stand any chance of a decent career in politics. This means that the individual MP, elected to represent the wishes of his or her constituency must frequently ignore those wishes, and vote to follow the party line. He or she swiftly becomes submerged into an organism called 'The Party'. Most voters are aware of this and so could be forgiven for regarding all politicians as a separate species each of whom suffer from blurred divided loyalties. Thus when the furore over MP's expenses blew up, the anger and cynicism many voters felt towards this species was due to MPs' apparent confusion about what should rightly be paid for from their own incomes as opposed to being charged to the tax-paying public. The average tax-paying wage earner is always spared this confusion because if he or she wants something it has to be paid for out of his or her pay packet, or he or she goes without. Obviously far flung MPs have to run two homes, but the main reason for the public's annoyance was the revelation of the tortuous methods used by some MPs to claim the maximum to be paid for by the tax-payers. The sad fact is that unpopularity is the price to be paid by all who allow themselves to become submerged into an organism

David Brittain
22 Thorns Way
Walton on the Naze
Essex CO14 8SB

Posted on 21 July 2009 19:11 by David Brittain

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