Let's hope for hustings

In recent blogs I have written about the nature of our democracy. What we take as a shining example of government may not be as perfect as it seems. I pointed out that it is obviously wrong to 'buy' a seat at Westminster. We have improved the system by gradual reforms but that doesn’t mean that it is perfect. There is a huge problem if we can’t get people to vote. There is a huge problem if the government is decided by the way that some marginal seats change hands every four or five years. It is much more likely that you live in a constituency in which the MP has a large majority. Why should it matter if you vote at all? What incentive does the MP have to work hard for their constituents? As long as they keep the people happy who select him or her as the candidate then they have another job after the next election.

It is really important to know what the candidates stand for. Many voters put a cross against a name without knowing the ideas that that individual supports. There are manifestos but does your candidate agree with the aspects of this document that are important to you? How does the candidate perform under pressure? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a hustings? Shouldn’t this be mandatory in every constituency? Even if there are only a room full of people who can observe the candidates, at least local newspapers can report it.

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