In the interests of democracy, please lets not have a snap election!

A poll by the BBC’s Daily Politics show has reported that some 65% of respondents want a General Election now, in the wake of the expenses row. While I appreciate the attraction of allowing the electorate to throw out as many of the current incumbents as possible – clearing out the House and ushering in a new era of responsible representatives less interested in feathering their own nests – I believe it would in fact have profoundly undemocratic ramifications.

The BNP may well be the biggest beneficiaries of any poll held in the wake of the current scandal. It’s not impossible they would return a couple of MPs, and certainly they could legitimately begin to claim a public mandate for their policies on the back of a sizeable popular vote.

Better by far to let the dust settle, and allow the electorate to make their choice in a more sombre fashion at the beginning of next year (presuming Gordo will hang on as long as he can). The main parties will still likely bear the brunt of a protest vote, and many individual MPs could lose their seats irrespective of their parties share of the national vote due to the particulars of their own conduct re. expenses. Nevertheless, such a poll would result in a fairer reflection of the populace’s political intentions, whereas now, whipped up by media frenzy and MPs seemingly incapable of appreciating the level of disgust in the country, marginal and dangerous interests are the only likely beneficiaries (just witness the Euros in June if you want proof).