Kate writes a bi-weekly column for the Burton Mail. This column was originally featured in the 18th November print edition.
When I first put myself forward to be the parliamentary candidate for Burton and Uttoxeter I said I would be a candidate with integrity and would always stand up for the interests of local residents.
That is something I have stuck to ever since I was elected and was very much at the forefront of my mind when it came to voting on the recent amendment to change the process which looks into complaints about the conduct of Members of Parliament.
Voting against your own political party with a three-line whip in place is never an easy thing to do and a lot of pressure is placed on MPs to vote with the Government. I recognise the importance of a whipping system in a parliamentary democracy and also the fact that I was elected a Conservative, but ultimately, I answer to my constituents and I knew how they would feel about this matter.
This issue was brought about due to a decision on a report on the behaviour of the previous Member of Parliament for North Shropshire. Serious concerns have been raised about the fairness of the process followed in this matter, and the case for potential reform to this Committee was well-made. However, I did not feel it was appropriate for the process to be altered now, in a way that would conflate the two issues.
When the executive has such a significant majority, it is important to stick to the established process to ensure we are all properly held to account, and any future changes should only be made after consensus between parties has been properly built.
It is welcome that the Government has now recognised that it was an error to combine the two issues and the Prime Minister has now expressed the Government’s wish to tighten the rules around MPs second jobs.
After it was published that I had defied the whip I received a huge amount of correspondence from residents thanking me for the way I voted and I am grateful to those that got in touch. I hope that they too are reassured by the change in approach and that we can now move forward and focus on the issues that really matter to people, delivering for Burton and Uttoxeter.