MSPs must put constituents above party loyalty, stresses McConnell
HOLYROOD needs radical reform to make sure the Scottish Government is held properly to account, a former Labour first minister claims.
Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale will give evidence today to a parliamentary commission looking into possible changes to the Holyrood system.
Speaking to The Herald ahead of that meeting, Lord McConnell said the committees had to be given more power, the parliamentary day should be more flexible and backbenchers should be encouraged to give their first loyalty to the parliament and their constituents, not their parties.
Lord McConnell, First Minister between 2001 and 2007, said he did not support the idea of a second chamber at Holyrood or an increase in the number of MSPs.“The solution is not more MSPs, its better MSPs, better procedures, hard work and proper scrutiny,” he stressed.
Lord McConnell is not a new convert to parliamentary reform. He proposed a series of changes to the Holyrood system in 2003, most of which were rejected at the time but many of which have, subsequently, been adopted. The parliamentary reform commission is headed by John McCormick, the former head of BBC Scotland.
It is taking evidence on the way Holyrood works and will recommend changes to the system, if the commissioners believe improvements can be made.
Lord McConnell said: “There does need to be a check on the power of ministers and the government. I believed that as first minister and I proposed changes then.
“I believe, if anything, the evidence has grown and strengthened that case over the last 15 years.
“The immediate thing to do is to strengthen the role of the backbench MSP and create a culture where they know they are there to represent their constituents.”