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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Aug 16, 2020 21:09:21 GMT
In theory MPs can only get a proxy vote if they're on maternity/paternity leave or "unable to attend at Westminster for medical or public health reasons related to the pandemic". Which doesn't include staying away while bailed to appear at a police station some time in November. It's likely to be very obvious who it is if people start scanning division lists and noting absences.
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ilerda
Conservative
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Post by ilerda on Aug 16, 2020 21:50:26 GMT
But absence for Covid related reasons is based entirely on self certification. MPs don't even need to say which of the 4 Covid reasons they're using to qualify for a proxy vote.
Therefore any MP could suddenly decide they have a public health reason to stay off the estate and contribute only through video link and/or a proxy vote.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Aug 16, 2020 21:53:37 GMT
The MP concerned must write to the Speaker to claim the proxy vote, and the Speaker has to approve their reason - it's not automatic.
Given everything the current Speaker has done to increase protection for staff and take action against abuse, that will be an interesting decision.
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ilerda
Conservative
Posts: 1,031
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Post by ilerda on Aug 16, 2020 21:59:54 GMT
That's true, the Speaker does have to approve their proxy. But he's also explicitly said he will approve any Covid related absence without making a decision himself on whether they are actually necessary.
If, however, he knew and could prove that the MP in question had zero reason to request a Covid related absence that would prove and interesting test of the rule.
I can't see that happening personally, but also the Speaker might consider it opportune to give the MP in question an easy and face-saving way of avoiding the Commons for the time being (innocent until proven guilty remember).
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Post by greatkingrat on Aug 16, 2020 22:26:00 GMT
Although the list of MPs with proxy votes is public. So it would be easy to compare the list after the recess to the list before the recess.
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Post by Peter Wilkinson on Aug 16, 2020 23:07:03 GMT
Given the size of the Conservative majority, if I were Conservative Chief Whip, I think I would be trying to induce half a dozen other Conservative backbenchers meeting the relevant description to absent themselves from Westminster for a while. Of course, one does wonder just what the inducements would have to be.
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Post by Forfarshire Conservative on Aug 16, 2020 23:19:18 GMT
Given the size of the Conservative majority, if I were Conservative Chief Whip, I think I would be trying to induce half a dozen other Conservative backbenchers meeting the relevant description to absent themselves from Westminster for a while. Of course, one does wonder just what the inducements would have to be. Any man, any man, who purposefully makes themselves look like an alleged rapist is a fool. Too foolish to be an MP.
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ilerda
Conservative
Posts: 1,031
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Post by ilerda on Aug 17, 2020 7:54:37 GMT
Although the list of MPs with proxy votes is public. So it would be easy to compare the list after the recess to the list before the recess. Easy to compare, yes. But not to draw any meaningful conclusions from it. Especially as we don't actually know if the MP in question will have applied for a proxy. There are a plethora of valid reasons why a Tory MP in his 50's might need a proxy now, and it would be incredibly unfair to assume that it must be because he's been accused of rape.
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,607
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Post by The Bishop on Aug 17, 2020 9:38:35 GMT
Even so, this is likely to narrow the field of possibles down considerably.
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peterl
Green
Monarchic Technocratic Localist
Posts: 8,061
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Post by peterl on Aug 17, 2020 9:54:50 GMT
Given the size of the Conservative majority, if I were Conservative Chief Whip, I think I would be trying to induce half a dozen other Conservative backbenchers meeting the relevant description to absent themselves from Westminster for a while. Of course, one does wonder just what the inducements would have to be. Any man, any man, who purposefully makes themselves look like an alleged rapist is a fool. Too foolish to be an MP. I'm not so sure a foolish MP is an unheard of animal!
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CatholicLeft
Labour
2032 posts until I was "accidentally" deleted.
Posts: 6,261
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Post by CatholicLeft on Aug 17, 2020 11:50:01 GMT
Given the size of the Conservative majority, if I were Conservative Chief Whip, I think I would be trying to induce half a dozen other Conservative backbenchers meeting the relevant description to absent themselves from Westminster for a while. Of course, one does wonder just what the inducements would have to be. Any man, any man, who purposefully makes themselves look like an alleged rapist is a fool. Too foolish to be an MP. Quite so, I fully expect MPs who fit the profile, who are normally quite quiet on the backbenches, to be up asking questions in the Commons, getting themselves interviewed on TV and radio and having lots of social media presence of themselves in parliament.
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Post by southernliberal on Sept 1, 2020 14:55:21 GMT
From this morning's Politico Playbook:
COMING ATTRACTIONS: A by-election in the next six months or so in Scottish Westminster seat Airdrie and Shotts, after Sturgeon loyalist Neil Gray announced he was stepping down to run for a place in Holyrood next May. Gray is the first to fall casualty to the SNP’s controversial new rule, which forces any MPs planning to run for Holyrood to resign their seat beforehand. The rule was widely seen as sleight of hand introduced to discourage Joanna Cherry from running against Sturgeon ally Angus Robertson for the SNP selection in Edinburgh Central — and to avoid a big SNP infighting ding-dong.
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Post by markgoodair on Sept 2, 2020 10:52:28 GMT
From this morning's Politico Playbook: COMING ATTRACTIONS: A by-election in the next six months or so in Scottish Westminster seat Airdrie and Shotts, after Sturgeon loyalist Neil Gray announced he was stepping down to run for a place in Holyrood next May. Gray is the first to fall casualty to the SNP’s controversial new rule, which forces any MPs planning to run for Holyrood to resign their seat beforehand. The rule was widely seen as sleight of hand introduced to discourage Joanna Cherry from running against Sturgeon ally Angus Robertson for the SNP selection in Edinburgh Central — and to avoid a big SNP infighting ding-dong. Labour were only 195 votes behind the SNP in 2015.
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neilm
Non-Aligned
Posts: 25,023
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Post by neilm on Sept 2, 2020 20:54:30 GMT
From this morning's Politico Playbook: COMING ATTRACTIONS: A by-election in the next six months or so in Scottish Westminster seat Airdrie and Shotts, after Sturgeon loyalist Neil Gray announced he was stepping down to run for a place in Holyrood next May. Gray is the first to fall casualty to the SNP’s controversial new rule, which forces any MPs planning to run for Holyrood to resign their seat beforehand. The rule was widely seen as sleight of hand introduced to discourage Joanna Cherry from running against Sturgeon ally Angus Robertson for the SNP selection in Edinburgh Central — and to avoid a big SNP infighting ding-dong. Labour were only 195 votes behind the SNP in 2015. 2017. Last year it was up to around 5,000 or so.
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Post by markgoodair on Sept 3, 2020 8:50:18 GMT
Labour were only 195 votes behind the SNP in 2015. 2017. Last year it was up to around 5,000 or so. First opportunity to see if a change of leadership has produced an increase in support for Labour North of the Border.
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peterl
Green
Monarchic Technocratic Localist
Posts: 8,061
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Post by peterl on Sept 7, 2020 11:48:03 GMT
I have a name. I will not post the name here, but if you follow a deductive process considering who meets the earlier criteria such as age and then excluding those who have not voted in the last week, only one name remains.
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,607
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Post by The Bishop on Sept 7, 2020 11:54:26 GMT
In that case, surely only a matter of time before said name (I have not worked it out myself - yet) enters more general circulation.
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Post by Forfarshire Conservative on Sept 7, 2020 12:16:53 GMT
I have a name. I will not post the name here, but if you follow a deductive process considering who meets the earlier criteria such as age and then excluding those who have not voted in the last week, only one name remains. You say that like it's some sort of revelation. Most of us have had an idea of who it is for weeks.
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on Sept 7, 2020 12:58:21 GMT
I have a name. I will not post the name here, but if you follow a deductive process considering who meets the earlier criteria such as age and then excluding those who have not voted in the last week, only one name remains. Remember MPs can vote by proxy at the moment. I'm not sure your logic works.
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CatholicLeft
Labour
2032 posts until I was "accidentally" deleted.
Posts: 6,261
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Post by CatholicLeft on Sept 7, 2020 13:40:46 GMT
I have a name. I will not post the name here, but if you follow a deductive process considering who meets the earlier criteria such as age and then excluding those who have not voted in the last week, only one name remains. Remember MPs can vote by proxy at the moment. I'm not sure your logic works. Not sure his vote would be welcomed by the government whips office right now, whomsoever it might be. I don't want to know, there is something a little of the witch-hunt about it.
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