Sovereignty ActÂ
Sovereignty ActÂ
In the traditional UK system, parliamentary sovereignty empowers MPs to hold the executive accountable through no-confidence votes, potentially toppling governments and triggering elections. Under Sovereignty, this power transfers to the electorate: Directly Elected Ministers (DEMs) are removed via public recall petitions. Nevertheless, Constituency MPs remain essential, with a renewed focus on representing and engaging constituents in developing legislation and its implementation.
Role in Legislative Scrutiny:
Sub-Committees formed by Constituency MPs delve deeply into specific legislation or policy areas, conducting inquiries, gathering evidence, suggesting modifications, and highlighting overlooked issues. Constituency MPs can demand local impact assessments of proposed legislation to ensure it does not disproportionately affect or neglect certain areas or communities, allowing amendments for regional adaptability. All Constituency MPs have the power to propose amendments during Sub-Committee consideration, and these amendments or critiques must be formally considered by the sponsoring DEMs.
Constituency MPs: Champions of their Constituents
Constituency MPs actively participate in online citizens led policy development platforms alongside relevant DEMs to shape initial legislation or proposals, ensuring local perspectives are integrated early. They mobilise constituents for direct votes (which hold 25% legislative weight) through campaigns, public meetings, or online deliberative spaces, focusing on understanding, representing, and educating locals about legislative implications without swaying opinions. Constituency MPs leverage media to highlight constituency impacts, raising awareness and pressuring DEMs to adjust proposals. They build alliances with DEMs through lobbying and negotiation to influence pivotal votes and amend legislation for local needs. Through initiatives like the Sovereignty Academy, they can educate constituents on the political system to boost participation and voter competence. If a DEM's policy harms local interests, Constituency MPs facilitate or support recall petitions to enforce accountability. They also engage with the special adjudication body, providing input or arguments to influence whether legislation requires single or collaborative DEM sponsorship.
Other Roles Played by Constituency MPs
As community liaisons, Constituency MPs act as primary advocates between constituencies and DEMs, organising local forums or town halls for policy feedback. They oversee local implementation of national policies to align with regional needs, coordinating services, infrastructure, or programs. Constituency MPs control small discretionary budgets for local projects or emergencies that support broader DEM policies. They participate in local or regional committees for pre-legislative scrutiny, providing insights and amendments from a local perspective. As spokespersons, they represent regional coalitions in national debates to ensure diversity in policy-making. Constituency MPs lead civic education on the system, electoral processes, and direct democracy participation. They mediate local disputes over policy implementation, resolving conflicts among community groups, businesses, or individuals. Constituency MPs assess local performance of DEM policies, offering feedback to DEMs or the public during direct voting days to guide adjustments or recalls. They advocate for cultural and heritage preservation in policies, respecting local traditions. As environmental watchdogs, they enforce sustainable practices and tailor national goals to local ecosystems. In crises, Constituency MPs coordinate with DEMs and emergency services using local knowledge. Finally, they propose or oversee policy pilots at the local level, gathering data for national scaling.