What constitutional crisis?

Several commentators have referred to the Snoutgate scandals as being a "constitutional crisis". I don't get it myself. It's a crisis only if our constitutional institutions can't deal with the problems they are being presented with. As far as MPs' expenses go though, they seem to be taking the whole thing in their stride. Guilty MPs are being deselected or are standing down. Where they aren't jettisoned in one way or another, they will surely be dealt with by the electorate, and their parties will suffer the consequences more widely. It's working very well as far as I can see.

So where's the problem? Sure, if the BNP win a majority at the next election, that would be a crisis, but I don't really think that's an issue when there are more salubrious alternatives around for all shades of political opinion - even for libertarians like me.

We might have had a problem if our parliamentarians were chosen by proportional representation - then we might get the crooked pols back via party lists, but fortunately we don't, and we should keep it that way. Quite why the left is trying to change us to a system that is less likely to let the electorate get rid of crooked politicians is beyond me.

This is not to say that our constitutional arrangements are any good. Far from it. Just that we need to take things slowly and carefully. It would be a pity to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Comments

[James P]

"Snoutgate"

V.good Bish. Is that original?

[Kit]

I agree and as I sit watching Newsnight playing the Evil Tory Toff game yet again I am worried the changes will be for the worse.

[Bishop Hill]

James

I don't think so. I picked it up somewhere else although I can't remember where.

Kit

When Carswell did his vote of no confidence motion, I did wonder if he was getting a bit ahead of himself.

[Tristan]

If we had a closed list system of PR. Not if we had STV.
Then again we have a closed list system now, and when the fuss dies down there will be survivors, especially in safe seats.

[Bishop Hill]

Is anyone safe in the current public mood?

[Pa Annoyed]

When people start proposing variations on a PR theme as the answer to all our woes, I always want to ask them to expound on how their pet scheme gets round Arrow's theorem. "Arrow's what?" they usually say. If they can answer the question without Googling it, I take them seriously. But even allowing that, I still don't see what it has to do with the current situation.

I think Guido might have coined 'snoutgate'. Or maybe he borrowed it too.

[Bishop Hill]

Well I had to Google it myself. Interesting though.

[Andrew Duffin]

"Quite why the left is trying to change us to a system that is less likely to let the electorate get rid of crooked politicians is beyond me."

Hah!

Sarcasm alert!

Good post. Say no to PR - it's just a way for the bastards to avoid eviction.