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Feature
PowerList 2010
special favours. “they developed me to the point where i could next year’s election, he may be yesterday’s man. so what influence
win on merit,” explains Bailey. “they said this is what you do. Here will the new tories have if their party forms the next government?
could be the problems. they threw questions at me. Made sure i Bailey says he and other minority colleagues have already had
could cope. then they threw me into the normal process to sink an impact on David Cameron’s social policies and that he would
or swim.” expect to continue as a heeded voice, even from the backbenches.
But here we must define our terms. what is power? is power we shall see.
achieved just by being elected, the recognition and the status? Karen Hamilton, who will fight the Birmingham Perry Barr seat
or is it what occurs thereafter? Baroness scotland, as attorney- for the Liberal Democrats, entered politics the grassroots way,
general, obviously wields power, as do figures such as David as a tenants’ leader, and initially opted for the Lib Dems because
Lammy, minister for higher education, sadiq Khan, transport they seemed to have a clear line on funding better education. she
minister, and shahid Malik, communities minister. says the power of politicians may appear to have waned but that’s
But how much clout does a backbencher have? From his recent illusory. Little victories add up.
memoirs, we know that Chris Mullin saw much more power in his “there are many kinds of power. You may not have the highest
status as a backbencher and chairman of the Home Affairs select position, but in a party like ours you can get your voice heard;
committee than he did during his largely unsatisfactory time spent change policy. You may have someone’s ear. it is the power to be
as a bottom-rung minister. able to influence. But that’s only part of it. At the end of the day we
By this reckoning, someone such as Keith Vaz may feel better are there to serve,” she says.
able to influence the government’s direction as the current chair
of that select committee than he was as europe minister. But after Hugh Muir writes for the Guardian
Shaun Bailey believes he has been
given a good enough grounding to
make his mark as an MP
Photographed by John Ferguson
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