Revolting MPs Professor Philip Cowley The University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham
Expenses Issue will not go away Mostly not corrupt Mostly well spent Problem now (largely) over MPs cannot ‘regain’ trust of public The University of Nottingham
Levels of trust in professions Doctors 90% Teachers 86% Professors 78% Ministers 22% Journalists 18% Politicians The University of Nottingham
-7 +29 Politicians as a group Your local MP V The University of Nottingham
% rate of rebellion, whole parliament The University of Nottingham
Record breakers Largest ever Labour rebellion on a health issue (foundation hospitals) Largest ever Labour rebellion on an education issue (top-up fees) Equal largest rebellion at Second Reading (top-up fees) since 1945 Largest ever Labour rebellion at Third Reading (schools reform) Largest ever Labour defence rebellion (Trident) Largest rebellion since the repeal of the Corn Laws (Iraq) The University of Nottingham
4259 votes cast against the Conservative whip, 1979-1990 The University of Nottingham
6520 votes cast against the Labour whip, 1997-2007 The University of Nottingham
Casts a rebellious vote in roughly one in every 10 divisions And the average rebel casts a dissenting vote in roughly one in every 200 divisions The University of Nottingham
% rate of rebellion, 1997-2008 The University of Nottingham
Frequency Time The University of Nottingham
Frequency Time The University of Nottingham
Correlation, rebellions 1997-98 and 2001-05 0.91 The University of Nottingham
Correlation, rebellions and vote, 2005 -0.06 The University of Nottingham
Who represented not their country but themselves, and always kept together in a close and undivided phalanx, impenetrable either by shame or honour, voting always the same way, and saying always the same things, as if they were no longer voluntary agents but so many engines merely turned about by a mechanic motion, like an organ where the great humming basses as well as the little squeaking trebles are filled but with one blast of wind from the same sound board? The University of Nottingham
Who represented not their country but themselves, and always kept together in a close and undivided phalanx, impenetrable either by shame or honour, voting always the same way, and saying always the same things, as if they were no longer voluntary agents but so many engines merely turned about by a mechanic motion, like an organ where the great humming basses as well as the little squeaking trebles are filled but with one blast of wind from the same sound board? -- 1698 The University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham
…and more likely to defy the whip A majority of 60+, but four defeats Free votes and other retreats Rebellions runs at 28% in first session Other victories by single figures Other victories thanks to Conservative support The University of Nottingham