People Over Performances: End Bear‑Pit PMQs

Our political system is based around conflict. Prime Minister’s Questions, where MPs shout, jeer and boo represents the worst of our Parliamentary System. It normalises aggression and sends a message to the public that in politics anything goes. 

At a time when democracy is under threat and violence against politicians is on the rise, the weekly spectacle of MPs behaving as if they were in a school playground not only normalises aggressive behaviour and point-scoring it also makes politicians look ridiculous. Other countries look at our Parliament and wonder what on earth is going on.

Politicians hold our lives in their hands. A lot of their work involves respectful collaboration and co-operation across party lines but if you watch PMQ’s you’d be excused for thinking you’d ended up in a school playground. Like it or not, PMQ’s sets the tone for how politicians are perceived by the public. 

Our polling shows that a majority of the public think such behaviour should have no place in parliament. Yet parliament clings on to this out-moded tradition. 

We need a parliament fit for the 21st Century. We need our leaders to behave in ways that model civility and respect. That’s why we are asking you to sign our letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons asking him to replace PMQ’s with a functional and effective system of accountability.  

 We have already submitted evidence on the harmful impact of PMQ’s to the Speaker and the House of Commons Modernisation Committee but they need to know that you care too. That’s why we’re asking you to sign our letter to the Speaker saying you want things to change