Can constituents refer matters to their MP before the electrion takes place?

[jon0844]

Moderator note: split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...se-can-i-get-refund-of-the-difference.195071/

Nobody has an MP right now, and most are busy at the moment.

 

[Haywain]

Nobody has an MP right now, and most are busy at the moment.

I keep seeing this but they are still MPs until a new lot are elected.

 

[jawr256]

I keep seeing this but they are still MPs until a new lot are elected.

People may consider them as such but the official position is that they are not.

Parliament is dissolved 25 working days before a general election at a minute past midnight.

When Parliament is dissolved, every seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant. All business in the House comes to an end. MPs stop representing their constituencies. There will be no MPs until after the general election.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I keep seeing this but they are still MPs until a new lot are elected.

No they aren’t, Parliament is not sitting there are no MPs.

 

[87 027]

No they aren’t, Parliament is not sitting there are no MPs.

Indeed. Ministers are still ministers of the crown until a new government is formed, but they are not MPs able to represent their constituents.

 

[MikeWh]

Indeed. Ministers are still ministers of the crown until a new government is formed, but they are not MPs able to represent their constituents.

And there are strict rules about what they can and can't do. If an emergency crops up then the main opposition representative has to be involved as well.

 

[WesternLancer]

With everything else going on, are you seriously suggesting that an MP (when one is elected) would want to get involved in someone claiming that he's due a £20 refund?

Well they would if it was marginal seat and they needed 1 vote to win!

But to be serious, it's an MP's job to hold bodies that receive taxpayer funds to account, the rail industry - esp one run on behalf of the DfT has to be accountable to them, whether that is over 1p or £20 or £2m. That's an important part of the democratic process IMHO.

 

[WesternLancer]

They're supposed to be part of government - not some sort of claims lawyer for those who want to claim £20 because they bought the wrong ticket and thus want to portray them self as some sort of victim

No, MPs are not part of government (unles they are a Minister) - some MPs are part of govt as some are Ministers, most are not. As others have said there are no MPs at the moment, but we will get MPs again after the returning officers declare the result in each seat.

https://members.parliament.uk/constituencies/

Ministers are appointment of the crown (Queen) and stay in their roles to run the country during an election as far as I recall.

 

[Starmill]

When Parliament is adjourned or prorogued, it's Members in the House of Commons are still 'Members of Parliament', even though Parliament is not sitting. They should continue their work in the representation of the people outside of Parliament.

However, at the moment, Parliament is dissolved. This means that they cannot represent their constituents any longer. While there is still a government, it is acting as a caretaker government, and former MPs are no longer Members.