A vote for a vote

While Gordon Brown still hasn't called an election, there is no doubt that politicians and would-be MPs are gearing up ready for the announcement.

While the usual suspects will include the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats as well as a few well meaning no-hopers and some escapees from the lunatic fringe, one individual is grabbing the headlines with a unique idea.

Elect him and he will poll his constituency on every single parliamentary vote and follow the wishes of his electorate.

Now there's a novel idea. An MP we voted for as our representative in government actually carrying out our wishes.

Denny de la Haye, 36, plans to stand for the seat of Hackney South (in London) and promises, if elected, to do exactly this.

As Denny says: "My manifesto is a little unusual. I'm proposing that instead of having my own policies, I will hold online polls to determine how I should vote in Parliament.

"I've been involved in politics since I was a teenager, but never with party politics. I've always been part of campaigning organisations instead, trying to get parties and politicians to notice and care about the issues that affect me.

"As long as I can remember I've wished I could vote on issues, instead of voting to select a representative.

"As the internet, and particularly the web, has grown in popularity and functionality, its application to this idea is obvious.

"I believe that we're now in a position where it should be feasible to let people make their own decisions on the issues they care about, instead of devolving their responsibility to a barely-accountable representative who has to toe a party line in most of his or her votes."

There are three areas where Denny feels that, regardless of the online poll, he must vote with his conscience: laws which improve equality, laws which improve civil liberties and laws which improve democracy.

But he feels certain that is what people want anyway and so he is still likely to be voting with the web poll.

Further details about Denny's campaign can be found at his website.