Should individual MPs who cross over on moral grounds be expelled?

The exercise of the right to individual conscience cannot mean it should not be without the cost of expulsion from the collective membership – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

There are those who argue that the individual conscience should be paramount in its dictates and that parties should not therefore be allowed to expel from office those who have crossed over from the party to another political party or even choose to be independent after being elected through the party membership. 

Yes the individual’s right to defer from his party position must be upheld. But it is also necessary to uphold the binding obligations of party membership. Both cannot be upheld at the same time. So one has to decide. 

The exercise of the right to individual conscience cannot mean it should not be without the cost of expulsion from the collective membership for otherwise collective decisions cannot be enforced at all. 

So from the time of Luther and Calvin when they were expelled from membership of the Catholic Church it has been recognised that although the Church was corrupt and their criticism of it was valid yet collective decision of those in authority must also be maintained. Otherwise no collective body will be able to survive at all or at best be weak.

This is an issue where both sides are right – those who penalise those who defy authority as well as those who defied the authority. 

– R.M.B. Senanayake