MPs: not fewer, but better

The Tories are discussing plans to cut the number of MPs. It might save money, but it won't revive British politics.

Andrew Tyrie, shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, is proposing to cut the number of MPs from 659 to 550. Taking into account salaries and expenses, he claims that the cut would save £25million. This wouldn't compromise the level of representation, he argues, since Britain currently has more MPs per head of population than most countries.

'The public do not want to pay more for politicians', says Tyrie: 'They do not want more politicians and prefer to see a reduction in their number. Politicians should find a way to arrest the growth in the cost of democratic politics.' The Tories see this as part of a drive to 'small' government. But the problem is not the number of MPs - it's the fact that politicians have nothing to say.

One example of the problem is the fact that the Tories are struggling to differentiate themselves from New Labour. They dare not make promises to cut public spending or reduce tax, they supported the war in Iraq, and are finding it impossible to be more authoritarian than the government on law and order. If politicians are only able to argue about the minutiae, all that is left is banter, backbiting and sleaze - and who wants to pay millions for that? What we need are fresh political ideas, not empty cost-cutting gestures.

In the meantime, if the Tories were serious about 'small' government, they wouldn't be fretting about our elected representatives. We can at least vote to get rid of them if they don't do their job. Instead, they should be worrying about the increasing power of quangos and 'independent' bodies, which we can't hold to account.

Tory plans £25m cull of MPs, Guardian, 13 December 2004