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Report from the House of Commons Reform Committee on Rebuilding the House

May I develop my argument a bit further, and then I will certainly give way? Let me tell the House that, from the experience that I have had here for nearly 39 years, it is not Parliament that has undermined people's confidence in the House of Commons; the political parties themselves have contributed to that, by seeking to take more and more control over what their members say in the House and, perhaps even before then, to control the type of person whom they are prepared to admit into the House. That is a crying shame. We need more independents. We need more free thinkers—people who are prepared to stand up, put their heads above the parapet and identify what they think and what they believe in—and they should not be frightened that that will jeopardise their careers.