What is "Super Coalition" ?

Super Coalition, or SuperCo, is a new directly democratic political party project for the UK. Its constitution allows it just one single MP. That MP shall be a reform activist.

Consider them the first temporary, Coalition Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Our working theory?

Water through a hose - rather than a rain cloud.

It's easier to change the minds of 326 people than tens of millions... and easier to inspire just one constituency to elect an MP rather than many constituencies electing hundreds.

Once we get one MP into the commons - we'll empower ALL constituents across the UK.

Think of the SuperCo as "everyone's MP" - regardless of the constituency. The first Coalition Prime Minister - designed to initiate a permanent change regarding how power is distributed to voters.

The SuperCo exists to change the system. Once that system is changed - the SuperCo will no longer exist. That will be in our constitution.

MPs are to be whipped by you.

Here's the big idea.

First, consider the Role of the MP:

Hopefully most of you roughly understand what an MP is supposed to do.

First and foremost they are expected to represent their constituents. That means to present problems and issues and seek solutions for anything that touches the realm of parliamentary competence.

You can write to them - they will write back. You can ask them to make representations on your behalf - they will do so, and share replies.

Finally they represent your constituency by way of their vote. They vote... for you, on your behalf.

Now here's the but...

Most MPs represent a party. It's here where the first conflict between your power and someone else's arises. MPs are "whipped" to vote a certain way. Put simply - this means they have to vote as instructed by their party's leadership.

The theory is good - a party "wins" MPs based on a nationwide "manifesto" (a promise of what policies they're going to deliver). To deliver that mandate - they tell the MPs how to vote. You? Well, you're done. You don't get another say for.... YEARS.

Seem fair? (When you can get literally ALL information through a device in the palm of your hand?).

It isn't widely understood - but the MP doesn't actually have to vote the way the "whip" instructs them. You might have seen "they had the whip removed" - well, that basically means the party have effectively chucked the MP out of the party.

So the servant you elected - as a member of a given party - is slung out. Did they do that for you? If you think they did, i've got a glass hammer to sell you.

It's the threat of their career being busted up that prevents the MP from turning to you for every vote and checking that you and they still think largely the same.

Straight away, your power is set against party power and the MP's ambition for personal power. You lose...

There's a catch for the MP

Remember we discussed that a "rebel" MP that ignores "the whip" is slung out of their party... robbed of personal glory. Punished. Remember?

That MP DOES NOT have to leave parliament. Oh no. You ELECTED THE INDIVIDUAL. And guess what, only a recall petition can get a new election for your constituency.

Here's the fun bit. That means any MP could leave their party, at any time, for any vote, and become independent. Or just vote the way THEY KNOW you want them to, and take the punishment. If that's what you want them to do - what's the issue? They're your MP.

This is what SuperCO wants. We want Parliament to move beyond party politics and into a more professional, post-party politics model.

Here's the final tantalising teaser.

ANY MP can become Prime Minister. That's right - if all the other MPs decide - the PM could change monthly. (That might not be optimal, but it's true.)

"Today it is for political parties “to determine and communicate clearly to the Sovereign who is best placed to be able to command the confidence of the House of Commons” - Commons Library

We don't elect a leader for the UK (see our policies for ideas around this...) we elect MPs and the MPs select a leader. This is usually pre-selected, based on whoever "leads" a party during the election. It's assumed you'll then vote for the party candidate led by the person you want as Prime Minister.

That's a fudge of what is a truly flexible parliamentary model.

If an MP had the "confidence of the House of Commons" - then the Monarch would see them.

That's amazing, when you think about it.

Why is it being created?

The party political system is broken, isn't it? A dilemma - choosing one of the "two main parties". Much as other parties have tried to break in - convincing enough people to vote for them is vastly expensive and frankly, totally unfeasible.

Plus, even in a tribal party-political system, there's no “control group” - and this prevents consensus forming on key reform topics. Ideology reigns - despite the fact that the British public are not a particularly ideological bunch. (Otherwise we'd vote for ideology, right?)

But there is one ideology we ALL believe in, it's as British as it gets - and frankly, the first thing most new citizens assimilate immediately.

Fairness.

We all have an intrinsic sense of fairness.

The UK is in dire need of generational reform, a new national ambition - from institutions to infrastructure. 

In addition - politics has rarely been as divisive, with tribalism turning differences of opinion into chasms of intolerance and intransigence. 

It is the belief of those behind SuperCo that the British public are more tolerant, more forward-thinking and more savvy to the needs of the nation than these divisive elements and their party-political leaderships give them credit for.