High Speed Rail - Update from Dan Byles MP

Dan Byles MP Supports Constituents and asks the question - When should an MP disobey the Party Whip? Last week was another busy and varied week, and included hosting a group of RAF Afghanistan veterans and showing them around the House of Commons, attending a Compassion in World Farming event to discuss the problems that local dairy farmers are having with the low prices of milk, attending a Diwali in Westminster event with representatives from the UK Hindu and Sikh communities, and holding my regular constituency surgeries in Bedworth, Polesworth, Dordon, Baddesley Ensor and Atherstone.

But probably the most far reaching event last week was the Parliamentary Lobby Day in Westminster on High Speed Rail that I attended, along with a number of local councillors and campaigners. The aim of the day was to air some of the arguments for and against High Speed Rail 2 (or HS2), which will link London to Birmingham and which could plough a damaging line through the villages of Gilson, Water Orton and Middleton in the west of the constituency, close to Coleshill.

HS2 is proving to be a controversial project, as with any large scale infrastructure project that has a negative effect on large numbers of communities and homes. Some call it ‘nimbyism’, others see it as communities coming together to fight for their own and their neighbours’ interests. Here in North Warwickshire we’re in the difficult position that we will experience a lot of the negatives but precious few of the positives, as the rail route demolishes houses and runs close to schools and homes.

HS2 is going to be difficult for anyone to stop, as all three main political parties supported it in their manifestos. The Coalition Government is in favour of it, and it is difficult to see the Labour Party not supporting it as they actually proposed the current route that is on the table.

Personally I am not convinced of the business case for the entire project, and I am not convinced that we can afford it. I am also deeply concerned at the impact on the communities around Coleshill. That is why I have taken the unusual step for a new MP of formally warning my Party that I am unlikely to be able to support HS2 in Parliament as the route currently stands, regardless of the whip.

This raises the interesting question of when a Member of Parliament should consider ‘rebelling’ against the Party whip. There are some who believe that MPs should never consider themselves bound by the whip and should always do their own thing, but that ignores the fact that most MPs are elected as the representative of their Party. I believe it is reasonable for an MP who was elected with the word ‘Conservative’ or the word ‘Labour’ next to their name on the ballot paper, to be expected to support their Party the majority of the time.

However, at the end of the day MPs are elected to champion their constituency and to represent their constituents in Westminster. Every now and then, an MP will find him or herself facing a policy that will have a disproportionately negative impact on the constituents that he/she was elected to serve. At that point, they have to ask themselves where their ultimate allegiance lies.

That is why I have warned my Party that if the final HS2 route continues to have a serious impact on homes and communities in my constituency, with little or no direct benefit to my constituents, then they can expect me to disregard the whip and ‘rebel’ if and when HS2 is voted on in Parliament