What do we want MPs to do for us?

[Umarkh]

Assalamu alaikum

We all seem to talk a lot about the importance of getting MPs into Parliament who will represent us and stand up for us. However, I have noticed a consistent lack of discussion or consideration about what exactly we would want an MP to do for us when he/she gets a seat.

Its obvious that we would want them to vote against unjust wars (e.g. Iraq, Afghanistan) and anti-civil liberties legislation (e.g. ID cards, control orders), but apart from that, what do we want from them?

Umar

[Umarkh]

Wow, the silence is deafening.

Insha'Allah those with a plan of what they want their MPs to do for us once we've got them in insha'Allah are too busy putting it into action than to read discussion threads...

Or is it that even the allegedly politically savvy muslims out there (i.e. YOU!) don't actually have much of a game plan beyond Palestine?

I hope and pray it is the former.

Anyways, I was trying to get a discussion thread going to find out what others are thinking since I hope to try and get some promises out of some candidates for the Rochdale election. Please feel free to add/edit this list...this is from the top of my head.

Promise 1. Will vote against all anti civil liberties legislation.

Promise 2. Will vote against military intervention against foreign states unless they pose a direct threat to the UK mainland, proven by publicly released evidence.

Promise 3. Will push for a sales of arms ban to Israel and all other countries that violate United Nations resolutions and Human Rights.

Promise 4. Will promote faith schools.

Promise 5. Will promote the existence of a sovereign Palestinian state.

(Sure, I appreciate empty promises can easily be made, but at least we can then monitor MPs by the promises they make, and bring them up on leaflets in the 2010 general election!)

[watchthevideo]

Theres NO reason for them to do anything for the muslims...whats in it for them?

[Mikebloke]

Well talk about a dead topic.

One of the problems of having the system we do in the UK is that we do get a few "yes men/women" what this means, is they'll follow the party line to the book, they will counter critisism by comparing the present to the past rather than deal with the actual situation. Ours isn't quite as bad as the US, which is dominated completely by two parties, they only have one independent seat in one of their houses, and he left one of the two parties.

We've got more range here in the UK, so its not like its one or the other, but we are doomed in the sense of what we get is actualy based on what constituency we live in. Unlike countries like Germany, we cannot vote UKIP, Green, DUP, SNP etc, unless they are contesting in our constituency. The three main parties have candidates everywhere on [island of] Britain, but even then its either a one or two way fight, its not usualy a real fight for votes.

The good news is though, that party politics is changing. Plaid Cymru in wales lost a seat, but it still has 3, SNP is making ok gains in Scotland, IKHH managed to hold their seat from 2001 in 2005, Galloway won a seat for RESPECT (almost two), and Peter Law won as an Independent in wales (which has been saved from going back to Labour by his mate in the recent by-election).

Anyway, the obvious topics would be:

Action against Israel for its violence.
Support for the PA and the Hamas government aid wise for services.
Calls for human rights support in Chechnya and surrounding republics.
Against any wars that'll crop up (they will..).
Incentives to stop Iran developing any nuclear weapon capability.
Against anything that might demonise the muslim faith.
Etc.

[nishath_786]

Represent my area and my fellow constituents.

And the thing about war?? I'd support my MP if he supported a war in Sierra Leone or Kosovo - wars which had no bearing on the UK.

[watchthevideo]

Well talk about a dead topic.

One of the problems of having the system we do in the UK is that we do get a few "yes men/women" what this means, is they'll follow the party line to the book, they will counter critisism by comparing the present to the past rather than deal with the actual situation. Ours isn't quite as bad as the US, which is dominated completely by two parties, they only have one independent seat in one of their houses, and he left one of the two parties.

We've got more range here in the UK, so its not like its one or the other, but we are doomed in the sense of what we get is actualy based on what constituency we live in. Unlike countries like Germany, we cannot vote UKIP, Green, DUP, SNP etc, unless they are contesting in our constituency. The three main parties have candidates everywhere on [island of] Britain, but even then its either a one or two way fight, its not usualy a real fight for votes.

The good news is though, that party politics is changing. Plaid Cymru in wales lost a seat, but it still has 3, SNP is making ok gains in Scotland, IKHH managed to hold their seat from 2001 in 2005, Galloway won a seat for RESPECT (almost two), and Peter Law won as an Independent in wales (which has been saved from going back to Labour by his mate in the recent by-election).

Anyway, the obvious topics would be:

Action against Israel for its violence.
Support for the PA and the Hamas government aid wise for services.
Calls for human rights support in Chechnya and surrounding republics.
Against any wars that'll crop up (they will..).
Incentives to stop Iran developing any nuclear weapon capability.
Against anything that might demonise the muslim faith.
Etc.


Good post... :thumbup:

[Azure]

How about also restoring some civility into British society? Through restricting hours when pubs can serve alcohol, encouraging marriage, instilling a sense of moral purpose at school (as opposed to the relativism that is imposed through the education system today), punishing drug dealers more heavily, things like that?

I'm sure these are things we can all agree on, whether Christian or Muslim or Jewish? Unfortunately, basic morality seems to have been abandoned in this country in the past decades. Maybe we can help restore it?

[Theodore]

How about also restoring some civility into British society? Through restricting hours when pubs can serve alcohol, encouraging marriage, instilling a sense of moral purpose at school (as opposed to the relativism that is imposed through the education system today), punishing drug dealers more heavily, things like that?

I'm sure these are things we can all agree on, whether Christian or Muslim or Jewish? Unfortunately, basic morality seems to have been abandoned in this country in the past decades. Maybe we can help restore it?

I agree with all the other things but I think drugs should be legalised - prohibition doesnt work.

[Mikebloke]

How about also restoring some civility into British society? Through restricting hours when pubs can serve alcohol

Unfortunately the limiting of when pubs could serve alcohol would be quite impossible, the whole reasoning behind 24/7 drinking is that prehaps if we didn't have to rush our drinks before closing time we'd somehow manage to stop being stumbling wrecks when we leave and drink more sensibly.

[Peter North]

What would I like my MP to do? Hold the government to account for its failings (as is their job)

[the outside in]

To tell the truth would be nice. :)

[Peter North]

How about also restoring some civility into British society? Through restricting hours when pubs can serve alcohol, encouraging marriage, instilling a sense of moral purpose at school (as opposed to the relativism that is imposed through the education system today), punishing drug dealers more heavily, things like that?

I'm sure these are things we can all agree on, whether Christian or Muslim or Jewish? Unfortunately, basic morality seems to have been abandoned in this country in the past decades. Maybe we can help restore it?

We did have much of what you mention in terms of civility. Sadly it was all eroded by the eqality/politically correctness lobby to accomodate other cultures.

This is widely recognised at the cheif failing of multiculturalism. We sold out or judeo-christian values in favour of secularism and now we've lost our national identy. Hardly surprising then that islamic extremists see us as a moral vacuum that needs dominating for its own good.

That being said, much of our judeo christian heritage has been sacrificed for modernity and convenience. This is a bi-product of education, better communication and the free flow of cheap good and credit.

While it does make us spiritually bankrupt we have all but exterminated the kind of poverty we see elsewhere in the world. There's no turning the clock back unless we are prepared to sacrifice some of the benefits of globalised capitalism. It would take an armageddon scenario to bring back what we've lost.

Another thing to consider though, while we had a civilised society on the face of it, the poor and less well of were always subject to the consequences of other peoples 'higher' moral choices for society and in many cases that did not always yeild the most humane or civil consequences. See back street abortion clinics circa 1950's. How many people have died because prohibition of Heroin puts the drug market in the hands of criminals?

The key to solving this malaise is to fix our dreadful education system. More time should be devoted to history and teach kids to celebrate our culture rather than dwelling purely on the negatives suchas slavery and colonialism. That way kids in future won't sell us out to islamists in the way that Galloway has.

I also propose a new comulsory GCSE called Democracy Studies which will give kids some hope that change is possible within the existing system rather than living in ignorance and trying to change the system through violence.

If people realised what a gift a functioning parliamentary democracy was they'd play a bit more of a part in building a civilised country because they would see we have something worth preserving.