Puppets
The idea has been canvassed within the 1 Tory Party that MPs who did not, in their election addresses, specifically re- nounce the manifesto commitment to abolish the GLC and the Metropolitan Councils, are acting dishonourably when they vote against that measure. This idea is both absurd and dangerous. Election ad- dresses are the little pieces of paper distributed by candidates to electors, bear- ing typically a picture of the candidate and his or her family, and a few remarks in favour of jobs. As statements of policy they are, to say the least, not exhaustive. But even supposing a prospective MP had said one thing before his election, to do another afterwards, though it would call for ex- planation, would not necessarily be wrong. The wrong would be for MPs to be unable, in the light of new circumstances, to take a new view of how to proceed. This doctrine of the essential independence of MPs in- furiates ideologists of both right and left, who regard it as the escape route by which implementation of their grand plans is evaded. But it is a doctrine which nobody, whether ideologist or party whip, need fear, who is willing to argue a case persuasively. It does not mean that a manifesto should cease to be a serious statement of intent; merely that it should not be used as an in- strument of party tyranny, a sufficient justification for any given measure. The thought of placing confidence in the judg- ment of our MPs may be disagreeable, but is preferable to making them into puppets.
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