What exactly was the point of belated switch to Starmerism?

 

As regular readers know, I always try to focus my columns on relevant issues to local people, and hold them up to scrutiny through the prism of a libertarian perspective, where people should be trusted more and state institutions should, in short, get lost.

Although I am an individualist by conviction, I’ve rarely focused on the actions of one particular person. Curious that. But I intend to make partial amends this time around.

Because I’d like to reflect on the actions of one particular, but influential Suffolk resident (all these comparisons are relative), in order to tease out some bigger truths. Or perhaps just to spread some invective around. Whatever.

And the principal boy, in what has become a most unseasonal pantomime of late, is none other than Dr Dan Poulter, the (now) Labour MP for Central Suffolk & North Ipswich.

At one level his political career has a pleasing symmetry for those who like patterns: a self-confessed supporter of Tony Blair in the 2001 and 2005 General Elections, then subsequently a local Conservative Councillor, first in Hastings then in Reigate. He was first elected as the Conservative MP for the constituency in 2010, rising to the heady heights, for two-and-a-half years, as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Health, to switching sides, and a possible health adviser role for the Labour Party after the next General election. Nice work.

And Dr Dan does work hard. His entry in the latest Register of Members' Financial Interests (as at 29 April 2024) lists his roughly 720 hours a year employment at a London NHS Trust from 2015 until earlier this year and his current role at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

It was apparently his concern about what his non-Parliamentary work colleagues might think of him that prompted his late-stage conversion to Starmerism. He was widely quoted as saying “I could no longer look my colleagues and my patients in the eye, as an MP, knowing what this Conservative government has done to our NHS.”

No mention here of his staff, both those who work in his Parliamentary office, and those who front up the constituency end of things. Putting to one side Carol, his poor mother, I’d imagine that the situation has been pretty awkward for many of them, not least those who are also active in the Conservative Party.

As MPs directly employ their own teams on agreed pay scales, Dr Dan’s defection raises issues as to fairness and rights for those dependent on him to pay their bills. Not a very happy situation for them, I’d imagine.

It’s at this point I have a confession to make, a mea culpa if you like!

I had a role in Dr Dan’s selection ahead of the 2010 General Election, as I was chairman of the candidates’ selection committee. That said – full disclosure time – I didn’t vote for him during the open primary. I voted for the other guy, a most impressive Headteacher from Lincolnshire!

 The irony is that I’m pretty sure the other guy hasn’t defected to the Labour Party.

 During David Cameron’s time as Leader of the Opposition, local constituency associations were placed under massive pressure – and I do mean massive – to select from what was known as the ‘A List’ of candidates, many of whom had no track record in right-wing politics, or even any particular commitment to conservatism.

 This was a manifestation of Cameron’s ‘Hug a Hoodie’ phase and, apparently, was aimed at securing a Parliamentary representation that suited Dave’s purposes. Its success was questionable in that he failed to secure a majority and had to go into coalition with the un-Liberal anti-Democrats.

 Now don’t get me wrong, I had, or have no problem with any political party’s central administration forwarding potential Parliamentary wannabes. They need to come from somewhere!

 I also had, or have no problem with a party vetting applicants. After all, you can’t have the media adopting that role post appointment, as the Reform Party has recently found to its cost with numerous candidates having to stand down after various interesting social media comments came to light.

 But the anti-democratic top-downism of the whole A-Lister scheme relied on constituency parties sidelining or rejecting perfectly valid local candidates. Although, to be honest, the 6-person selection committee couldn’t agree on any of the ‘approved’ local candidates on offer!

 Most of the elected A listers turned out to be rather flaky, resigning and causing by-elections (Louise Mensch, anyone?) – that kind of thing. At least Dr Dan hasn’t done that.

But perhaps he should have done? Even the most personally popular MP, if they are being honest, would acknowledge that their vote tally is largely because of their political ticket.

Which is why I’d like to see an amendment to the Recall of MPs Act 2015 requiring a by-election be called when an MP defects from the party label they were elected under, subject to a minimum number of constituents requesting one within a particular period of time..

Sadly, most MPs hold onto their sinecures like gym-trained limpets.  And before you say anything, I think that Lee Anderson should have resigned and fought the resulting by-election – which he probably would have won. Bad show on him.

There are some honourable exceptions. One, of course, is Douglas Carswell a self-styled libertarian (hurrah!) and Conservative MP for Clacton from 2002-2014, who when he left his former political berth, opted to contest the seat in a by-election for his new party, UKIP. Which he won handsomely and retained it again at the following election.

At the time he was quoted as saying “When I changed parties it didn't occur to me to not hold a by election. If my own electorate weren't supportive, what was the point?"

What was the point indeed, Dr. Dan? 

What was your point?

That said, now Dan is no longer an MP, may I wish him all the best in his latest choice of career.

First published in the suffolkfreepress.co.uk on Thursday, 30th May, 2024.