Changing The Boundaries

George Osborne or Graham Brady? Danny Alexander or Charles Kennedy? I think that we all know the answers to those ones. "Ed Balls or Hilary Benn?" is a much more interesting question. But all three are going to have to be asked in the very near future.

These and similar situations will be an opportunity to pioneer the much-needed system whereby, in the course of each Parliament, each party would submit to a binding ballot of the whole constituency electorate its locally, internally determined shortlist of two for Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, just as each would submit to a binding ballot of the whole constituency electorate its internally determined shortlist of two for Leader.

Many a stalwart of the Council or of other aspects of the local Big Society (trade unions, co-operatives, and so on) would then beat many a Westminster Village boy or his girlfriend. And our Parliament would be infinitely better for those victories.

As to policy-making, each party should also hold such a national ballot the 10 policies proposed by the most of its branches, including affiliated branches where applicable, with each voter entitled to vote for up to two, and with the top seven guaranteed inclusion in the subsequent General Election manifesto.