Backbencher of the Week

This week's Backbencher of the Week goes to Stephen Pound MP(Lab-Ealing North).   As I blogged about earlier, Gordon Brown's Labour government lost a vote over letting Gurkhas settle in the UK.  27 Labour MPs voted against the government and many other Labour MPs decided to abstain.  Stephen Pound was one of the 27 who voted against the government.  Since Mr. Pound served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department of Work and Pensions, he had to resign his position to vote as he did.

Under a cabinet government, all ministers are collectively responsible for a government's policy decisions.  If a minister cannot support a cabinet decision then the minister resigns from the cabinet and returns to the backbench.  Two of the most famous resignations were Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Howe, which led to the fall of Margaret Thatcher, and Leader of the Commons Robin Cook's over the Iraq War. 

Not only did Mr. Pound give up his government position, but Ealing North is a marginal constituency any difficulties with the Labour Government make it increasingly difficult for the incumbent to hold the seat.  For giving up a government position, and risking a seat in Parliament, we award Stephen Pound MP this week's Backbencher of the Week