MPs react to Black Country pub landlord's petition calling for a new general election - backed by three million

Black Country pub owner Mike Westwood started the Call a General Election petition last year, demanding a new general election because he was fed up with the Labour Government.

And after getting enough signatures to warrant a parliamentary response last month, it was debated today, January 7,  from Westminster Hall and broadcast on the Government's official YouTube channel. 

Mr Westwood from Gornal said he voted for the Conservatives at the General Election in July and told how he'd started the petition after growing sick of what he called "doomsday" statements from the Government.

But Jamie Stone MP - elected as Chair of the Petitions Committee - said that a general election 'simply can not' happen. 

During the debate at Westminster Hall Mr Stone said: "It is always encouraging to witness public participation in politics. 

"At over 3.1 million signatures, this petition has engaged a vast amount of people across the country and, for this reason, I must personally thank Mr Westwood. 

"Mr Westwood created this petition with a clear and very simple call, he would like there to be another general election on account of the fact that he believes the current labour government has gone back on the promises they made during the lead up to the last election. 

"When we spoke, he explained his reasons came from his personal frustration at the lack of transparency and indeed, accountability, within out election process. 

"He feels that the current system does not ensure that the government is made answerable for unfulfilled manifesto promises and poor governments. 

"Put simply, Mr Westwood believes it is too easy for political parties - all of us - to mislead the public in order to gain their vote.

"In the case of the current government, he believes there is yet no sign of Labour's pledge to kickstart the economy, even after six months in office."

Jamie Stone MP went on to explain that there would be no election as a result of the petition - nor any future petitions. 

He said: "I put it very simply, an election can not be called as a result of a petition, it simply can not. 

"It is a fact that on July 4, the labour party won a majority and will remain in office for the duration of its term, or until the prime minister seeks permission from sovereign to dissolve parliament at a time of his choosing. That is the way we do things in this country.

"It is absolutely intrinsic to the proper functioning of democracy to respect and uphold the democratic mandate the current government holds from the British public. 

"It is, I would assert, a mandate that can not be overturned by this petition or any other future petition. 

"To do so would fundamentally undermine the existing constitutional mechanisms that empower the public.

 "The British people did have their say in July, they chose the current government and we must continue to honour that choice. "I believe that is a fundamental principle for the way we do things in this country."

Amongst the MPs in attendance was Reform UK party leader, Nigel Farage, who said he found the 'best ideas' generally come from pubs and was not surprised that it was indeed a pub runner who started the petition. 

He also said he believes people in Clacton - where he currently represents -  did not sign it just for an election, but were instead expressing a sense of 'utter disenchantment' with the entire political system.

He said: "I generally find the best ideas in life come from pubs, so it's no particular surprise that Michael Westwood is indeed, a publican. 

"Representing Clacton, we were third on the highest number to sign this petition, but I don't think the 8,000 people of Clacton signed this just to get a fresh general election. 

"What they were actually expressing was a sense of utter disenchantment with the entire political system."

He then went on to make a broader point about the the public's view of the political landscape as a whole. 

"Something bigger is going on out there. Have a look at the turn out, the second lowest ever in general elections despite the introduction of mass postal voting.

"Have a think about the fact that Labour got a third of the vote and two thirds of the seats."

He went on to say that confidence 'in the whole system' is breaking down and that he had not seen a government have a collapse in confidence as quickly as this one has, before reminding the room that there are 26,000 pensioners in his constituency alone that are losing their winter fuel balance. 

Contributing to the debate, Angus MacDonald, Liberal Democrat MP for Iverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, described the petition as an "excellent thing".

He said: "Despite the three million that have signed this petition we know the government will continue to stand. 

"That said, I think the petition has been an excellent thing because I think it has let the government know how deeply unpopular many of their policies have been. 

"There are many MP's from the governments side who i feel are rather ashamed by many of the things which resulted in this petition."

Shadow minister Richard Holden, Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay, thanked the Gornal pub owner for creating the petition.

He said: “I would like to thank Michael Westwood who is sitting in the gallery for putting together the topic for this debate. 

"He has clearly caught the public mood with three million people in the petition. I will just caution some of the members of the opposition, who today I remember one of them said, 'this is a debate on a pointless motion'.

"Over three million people have signed to this debate because they are really concerned about what the government is doing.

"...These are real frustrations out there up and down the country when it comes to small businesses, or family farms, or ordinary working people or pensioners - thousands of whom have written to me in my own constituency about the concerns that they face."

'This Government is committed to serving everyone'

Concluding her comments in the petition debate, Government minister Ellie Reeves said: "I'm afraid I must disappoint those who only six months after a general election want a re-run.

"They are of course entitled to voice their opinions and this Government is committed to serving everyone in the country no matter who they voted for.

"But having secured such a resounding victory at the general election last year, we have not only the right but also a responsibility to implement our programme and the change the country voted for. 

"That is what we will do and when the next election eventually comes we will be proud to stand on our record." 

Although unsuccessful, the petition by Dudley's Michael Westwood created a broader conversation that went all the way to the parliament and gained the support of over three million people.