Tuesday, October 25, 2011

She may just have secured my future vote

My MP is Tracey Crouch, you may not have heard of her, but I've met her and she seems a nice enough lady, though I didn't vote for her to represent me in Westminster as I have grievous qualms about voting mainstream at any time. Yet she did me proud last night even if under the Cameron regime she may have put her career on hold for a time.
Express.
FIRST let us salute the MPs who held their nerve, despite heavy whipping and the threats and blandishments of their leaders. That so many stood firm and, after 36 years, got another vote on our relationship with Brussels counts as a stunning success.
These MPs are the ones who understand that political power can only legitimately be exercised by public consent.
Senior Tory and Labour backbenchers were foremost among the rebels.
But last night some younger MPs showed their mettle by voting in defiance of party chiefs.
Anybody searching for new political stars should look to them first. Big political figures are defined by their readiness to make elbow-room at the top table rather than just bow to the whips.
On that basis, it will be MPs like Priti Patel (Witham), Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park) and Tracey Crouch (Chatham) who will have a big say in the future of the Conservative Party, for this vote will be long remembered by the British people. Those MPs who let them down will suffer the consequences at the next election.
 As for the vote, well, there wasn't much of a chance of success given the odds against it, but 111 MP's including 79 Tory rebels decided that conscience was to be their guide not the orders from on high.
Here's the list courtesy of the Guardian.
• Tory rebels Stuart Andrew (Pudsey), Steven Baker (Wycombe), John Baron (Basildon & Billericay), Andrew Bingham (High Peak), Brian Binley (Northampton South), Bob Blackman (Harrow East), Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West), Andrew Bridgen (Leicestershire North West), Steve Brine (Winchester), Fiona Bruce (Congleton), Dan Byles (Warwickshire North), Douglas Carswell (Clacton), Bill Cash (Stone), Christopher Chope (Christchurch), James Clappison (Hertsmere), Tracey Crouch (Chatham & Aylesford), David Davies (Monmouth), Philip Davies (Shipley), David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden), Nick de Bois (Enfield North), Caroline Dinenage (Gosport), Nadine Dorries (Bedfordshire Mid), Richard Drax (Dorset South), Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster), Lorraine Fullbrook (South Ribble), Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park), James Gray (Wiltshire North), Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry), Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne & Sheppey), George Hollingbery (Meon Valley), Adam Holloway (Gravesham), Stewart Jackson (Peterborough), Bernard Jenkin (Harwich & Essex North), Marcus Jones (Nuneaton), Chris Kelly (Dudley South), Andrea Leadsom (Northamptonshire South), Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford), Edward Leigh (Gainsborough), Julian Lewis (New Forest East), Karen Lumley (Redditch), Jason McCartney (Colne Valley), Karl McCartney (Lincoln), Stephen McPartland (Stevenage), Anne Main (St Albans), Patrick Mercer (Newark), Nigel Mills (Amber Valley), Anne-Marie Morris (Newton Abbot), James Morris (Halesowen & Rowley Regis), Stephen Mosley (Chester, City of), Sheryll Murray (Cornwall South East), Caroline Nokes (Romsey & Southampton North), David Nuttall (Bury North), Matthew Offord (Hendon), Neil Parish (Tiverton & Honiton), Priti Patel (Witham), Andrew Percy (Brigg & Goole), Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The), Mark Reckless (Rochester & Strood), John Redwood (Wokingham), Jacob Rees-Mogg (Somerset North East), Simon Reevell (Dewsbury), Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury), Andrew Rosindell (Romford), Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills), Henry Smith (Crawley), John Stevenson (Carlisle), Bob Stewart (Beckenham), Gary Streeter (Devon South West), Julian Sturdy (York Outer), Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth & Horncastle), Justin Tomlinson (Swindon North), Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight), Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes), Charles Walker (Broxbourne), Robin Walker (Worcester), Heather Wheeler (Derbyshire South), Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley), John Whittingdale (Maldon), Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes)
Two Tory MPs acted as tellers for the rebels. They were Peter Bone (Wellingborough) and Philip Hollobone (Kettering).
Two Tory MPs voted in both the Aye and Noe lobbies. This counts as an abstention. They were: Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) and Mike Weatherley (Hove)
• 19 Labour rebels Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley), Rosie Cooper (Lancashire West), Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North), Jon Cruddas (Dagenham & Rainham), John Cryer (Leyton & Wanstead), Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West), Natascha Engel (Derbyshire North East), Frank Field (Birkenhead), Roger Godsiff (Birmingham Hall Green), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall), Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North), Steve McCabe (Birmingham Selly Oak), John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington), Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover), Andrew Smith (Oxford East), Graham Stringer (Blackley & Broughton), Gisela Stuart (Birmingham Edgbaston), Mike Wood (Batley & Spen).
• One Liberal Democrat rebel Adrian Sanders (Torbay)
Eight Democratic Unionist Party MPs who voted for the referendum: Gregory Campbell (Londonderry East), Nigel Dodds (Belfast North), Jeffrey Donaldson (Lagan Valley), Rev William McCrea (Antrim South), Ian Paisley Junior (Antrim North), Jim Shannon (Strangford), David Simpson (Upper Bann), Sammy Wilson (Antrim East)
• Independent Unionist who voted for the referendum: Lady Sylvia Hermon (Down North)
• Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion) voted for the referendum
Thank you, I often rail against politicians and their weird ways, but today for the 111, thank you for at least trying.

5 annotations:

Curmudgeon said...

In future years I'm sure this will be seen as a badge of honour for those MPs who have put country before short-term personal advantage.

The small number of Labour MPs who supported the referendum included many of those such as Frank Field and Gisela Stuart whom I recognise as people who have principles and an ability to think for themselves.

It even increases my respect for Caroline Lucas.

Well done to all 111!

Anonymous said...

Monday 24th October 2011. A bad day for Dave and the political classes - A good day for the resistance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmdzt3mxQjg

Anonymous said...

My voted for a ref as well. But what is the point if the boss says no?
I respect her more but respect the party less, so no vote from me.

James Higham said...

I'll nick that if you don't mind, QM.

phoenix said...

Sorry posted this on wrong article and I can't delete it.
Phoenix said...
I sent this to local paper.

Dear Editor
Anyone but Harriet and get lost Luff.
Whilst other MPs in Westminster have had the courage to represent the views of their constituents both Peter Luff and Harriet Baldwin have chosen to look to their own careers. Both shout about defending our country but when the chips are down and they have to put words into actions both abandon us.
Whether we want to stay in Europe or get out is nothing to do with career conscious cronies of Cameron, but giving us the opportunity to express it is their duty.
If we agree that we should stay in EU and give them control of our borders, immigration policy, Human Rights and want to continue sending £50 million per day to stay in a club that has driven down our living standards in order to bail out bankers and profligate European Countries then we owe them our vote because that is what they have just agreed to on our behalf.
Robin Walker put them both to shame and I hope that his constituents reward his courage.