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MP hopes to allow citizens' bills
A Conservative MP is introducing a Bill aimed at allowing members of the public to force MPs to vote on popular new laws.
Douglas Carswell criticised current House of Commons procedures as "antiquated gentleman's club rules".
His 10 minute rule bill, to be introduced after prime minister's questions, would allow members of the public to table their own legislation.
They would then attempt to gain support for their measure, and the six with the most signatures would be included in the Queen's Speech and automatically given a second reading.
Carswell told ePolitix.com: "Westminster politics isn't working.
"I want to allow people a direct say in what members of Parliament vote on, a direct say in what members of Parliament debate, so that MPs are forced to talk about and think about and concern themselves about things that matter to ordinary voters."
He said rules would need to be in place to prevent "fantastical or frivolous" new bills, and said that evidence from abroad showed the idea could work.
Carswell, who recently caused waves by calling for Speaker Michael Martin to stand down, said "we have a fundamentally out-of-date parliamentary system".
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