The sound of “silence” - a reply to Tom Harris MP

Tom Harris, MP for Glasgow South, has hit back at Power2010 in his blog after we accused him, alongside five other MPs, of "Failing our democracy" in a full page ad in the Guardian.

According to Tom, colleagues have been asking with "envy" why it is he has been singled out, and he speculates that it may be something to do with his vocal opposition to electoral reform.

Well, yes, it was partly that Tom, but that's not the only reason. As we made clear, it's also because of your general hostility to any kind of political reform and the five issues on the Power Pledge.

It's convenient, for example, that on the day the Dispatches documentary into lobbying revealed the latest corruption involving the Lords, you neglect to mention that in March 2007 you voted for a fully appointed chamber that would almost certainly see more hand-picked cronies, ex-MPs and wealthy donors in Parliament.

Then there's the small matter of your impassioned support - not just for ID cards, as you mention - but the entire apparatus of the "database state".

Ridiculing the European Court of Human Rights verdict against storing innocent people's DNA on police databases in August 2009 you asked "Why should I, an "innocent" person, be denied the right to have my fingerprint and other personal data included in the national database with everyone else's, "innocent" and guilty alike?"

Hilarious, eh? But perhaps before you write your next blog casually proposing to abolish the concept of innocence, you might benefit from a tutorial or two on the corrupting effect this would have on our society from Oxford philosopher and fellow Labour party member Stuart White.

You also seem to want to suggest the 5 reforms on the Power Pledge - which you describe as our "pet policies" - have been plucked from the Lib Dem manifesto to embarrass non-Lib Dem MPs.

But a moment's glance at the website would have shown they were chosen through an open process involving people of all political backgrounds from across the country with over 100,000 votes cast.

Could it be, Tom, that reforming our rotten political system is actually popular with the public?

That's certainly what Power2010 campaigners have been finding talking to people on the streets across the UK, and not just amongst the "chattering classes" either, as you and your "envious" colleagues might like to think.

Come to think of it, if they're feeling so left out feel free to submit their names - you were picked after being nominated by members of the public!

Then there's the charge you keep coming back to, that by highlighting your views in this way we are in some way trying to "silence" you and deny you your right to free speech. On the contrary! You have every right to say what you like on issues of democratic reform, just as we have every right to call you out on it and do the same.

It's called democracy, and as Reuben writes on the Third Estate blog: "It seems pretty obvious that this is how democracy is meant to work: Tom Harris, as a parliamentarian, has the right vote and speak as he wishes, and groups of citizens have the right to oppose him for how he votes and what he says."

It was a nice try to accuse Power2010 of trying to shut down debate rather than open it up, as if reformers are really in a position to do that (unlike MPs from the governing party!).

But rather than pose as a martyr to free speech I think you'd be better off welcoming the debate we're now proposing to have with your constituents.

Indeed, thousands of voters in Glasgow South will be hearing from Power2010 this week, as will readers of local paper the Glaswegian.

Democracy's a messy business, Tom, but as someone who likes to give it out on your own blog, surely you don't object to being held to account for your views in this way?