Does your MP do their Job?
This article was written by one of our Young Reporters, a scheme that gives 14 to 18-year-old school students a chance to write for a real newspaper. Find out more at the Young Reporter website.
Voting is a focal point of our democracy. However, when we typically think of voting our minds instantaneously dart to the voting we do in our general elections often forgetting that there is a far more crucial component to our democracy; the voting that comes as a result of general elections. The voting our representatives do on our behalf in Parliament.
However, as it is not mandatory, voting attendance in Parliament varies especially when it comes to MPs in Essex.
For instance, Kemi Badenoch MP for Northwest Essex and the leader of the conservative party has a voting participation percentage in the lowest 10% of all MPs. Whereas the Labour MP for Colchester, Pam Cox has a 92% voting attendance.
Okay... that might’ve been a tad unfair considering Kemi Badenoch being a party leader would inevitably lead to her having far more internal party duties than say Pam Cox would.
But you get the gist.
The Voting participation of MPs in Essex is exponentially varied.
But why?
Is it the variation of parties? Proximity to Westminster? The issues the votes are on?
Well, the objective answer is, we don’t know.
Although, we can take a few guesses based on the general duties of MPs and common patterns over the years.
Voting attendance for more controversial social issues has historically always been higher compared to that of regular voting on bills. For instance, the recent assisted dying free vote saw a 538/650 (82%) participation rate compared to the vote on Draft Town and County planning regulations 2026 which saw a 378/650 (59%) participation rate.
Other roles in Parliament such; as meetings with representatives from trade unions, corporations, lobbyists and campaigners can take up a substantial amount of time. Additionally, party meetings arranged by all-party parliamentary groups are common practice in Parliament.
Additionally, it’s important to note that voting on bills isn’t the only component of an MPs role and some MPs tend to be more proactive in their constituencies through frequent surgeries and dealing with cases raised by constituents through responding to emails and calls to their office.
Despite the many reasons that MPs may abstain from voting in the commons this remains something on constituent's minds.
When asked about how they felt about their MPs voting attendance a constituent from Clacton Isla, where her MP Nigel Farage has a voting attendance in the lowest 8% of MPs stated that they felt “frustrated and annoyed” about their MPs lack of attendance, pointing out that she believed that her and her fellow community members interests were “underrepresented in parliament” and highlighting that Farage is, in her words, “lazy”.
Furthermore, constituent Janet from Colchester stated that she was “glad” about her MPs voting attendance in the top 8% of all MPs and felt that she was “fairly confident” her constituency was suitably represented in parliament.
