The Role of the Member of Parliament

In his book, the Accidental MP, Martin Bell remarked, 'Becoming an MP is one thing. Being an MP is quite another.'2 Bell had not expected to become a Member of Parliament (MP). Standing as an anti-sleaze candidate in 1997, he famously defeated the sitting Conservative MP, Neil Hamilton, who had been accused of abusing his position by accepting payments in return for parliamentary favours.3 Bell was unusual in that he was the first fully Independent MP to be elected since the abolition of the university seats in 1950; all other 'independents', of whom there were four, had been dissident party MPs who had successfully defied their party machines.4 However, Bell was not unusual in not expecting to be elected: all general elections produce candidates surprised to find themselves MPs, especially when one or more of the parties achieve unexpectedly large electoral swings, but most do so as candidates of an established party.