Two independent MPs are calling for changes to the way seats on parliamentary committees are allocated, saying the current system is “undemocratic”.
Shockat Adam and Iqbal Mohamed, who were elected in 2024 as independent MPs, want to sit on select committees, which can question ministers; or bill committees, which scrutinise legislation in detail.
Speaking to BBC News, Mohamed said the call was about having equal opportunity to contribute and being a “good parliamentarian”.
Their comments followed a Procedure Committee hearing earlier this week where MPs heard about their experiences as independent members.
During the hearing both Adam and Mohamed said the lack of committee membership opportunities impacted their ability to fully represent constituents.
Adam, who represents Leicester South, said it felt as though independent MPs were “not able to contribute” with their expertise to committees.
“We’re still as elected as any other individual from any political party, we hold the same mandate.
“That is one area that we miss out and I feel that my constituents miss out on,” he said.
Speaking to BBC News following the hearing, Mohamed, who represents Dewsbury and Batley in West Yorkshire, said his desire to sit on a select committee was about equal opportunity.
“It’s being a good citizen, a good parliamentarian and having that opportunity to contribute in the same way as other MPs.
“It does come across as slightly undemocratic, but the aim isn’t to be the same or replace or kick out other people; it’s just having that same opportunity to contribute to the governance of our country,” he said.
Under current parliamentary rules independent MPs are not automatically entitled to membership on select or bill committees.
For select committees, political parties control the process and allocate seats in proportion to the size of each party’s parliamentary intake.
This means that the Labour Party gets the largest share of select committee seats, then the Conservatives, followed by the Liberal Democrats and so on.
However, parties are able to voluntarily give up a seat for an independent MP or an MP from a different party, such as when the Green party’s Caroline Lucas was given a spot on the Environmental Audit Committee from 2015 to 2024.
All MPs can ask questions in the Commons chamber and participate in debates there and in Westminster Hall, as well as submitting written questions to ministers.
Mohamed said his background in science and engineering was one thing he could bring to a select or bill committee.
He also mentioned the “wide breadth of experience” independent MPs have across their alliance, as well as their interest in foreign affairs – several won their seats on pro-Gaza platforms.
“We’re at a point in history where the public have lost faith in politics and politicians – and I’m including myself in that group because I’m part of that elected group now. And anything we can do to rebuild that trust and to demonstrate fairness, impartiality, transparency, balance…I think it’s only a good thing,” he said.
Five of the independents – including Adam, Mohamed and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – wrote to the Speaker in September announcing they were forming an “independent alliance” in Parliament.
This is known as a technical grouping, differing from a political party as members are bound by shared interests and ideology rather than under an official organisation.
This prompted the Procedure Committee to begin holding inquiries into the status of parliamentary groupings and independent MPs as a whole.
A spokesperson for the Procedure Committee said: “The Procedure Committee has undertaken an inquiry into the status of independent MPs in House procedures.
“The inquiry is still ongoing and the committee will report back with its proposals in due course.”
