Structure and Role of Parliament

The delegate theory views the elected representative as the mouthpiece of those who elected them.
The representative is to carry out the exact wishes of their constituents.
Example: The former MEPs for the Brexit Party only had one policy of leaving the EU. This made it easy for them to say they were carrying out the will of the people who elected them.
Problems:
- In most elections, a large minority of voters do not vote for the winning candidate and are not represented in parliament.
- This is particularly the case with First-Past-The-Post where most MPs are elected with a plurality of votes and not a majority of votes.
- There may be a conflict between politics at the local level and the national policy.
- Example: As Mayor of London, Boris Johnson opposed his party’s policy of supporting a third runway at Heathrow.

The trustee theory was formulated by Edmund Burke in 1774 while MP for Bristol, writing, ‘Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement: and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion‘.
A trustee representative recognises the wants of their constituents but also relies on their conscience (as with issues like same-sex marriage and abolishing the death penalty), as well as the national interest.
Example: Labour backbench MP Ben Bradshaw defied the Labour whip of supporting Article 50 following the Brexit referendum result. He was not prepared to vote for a process that, in his opinion, would impoverish his constituents.
Example: Similarly, former Conservative MP Dominic Grieve went against his party policy on Brexit and did not think it would benefit the country. He eventually ran as an Independent MP and lost his seat in 2019.

The politico model is a hybrid which best represents the reality of modern politics.
Most elected representatives combine elements of the trustee and delegate theories in their political activity.

Category: Structure and Role of Parliament