The Cabinet Office have published their draft bill, supposedly to allow the public to recall their MPs when they've done something wrong.
But before we get too excited by the apparent delivery of an election promise from all three main parties, we should compare what they promised with what's actually likely to be delivered.
The expenses scandal prompted MPs and party leaders to pay major lip service to honesty, integrity and accountability, but three other words describe today's proposals, disingenuous, restrictive and undemocratic.
All three party leaders told voters that a right to recall would empower voters to initiate a process of recall for serious wrongdoing as exists in the States, but today's proposals contain absolutely no mechanism by which any member of the public can trigger this process, and moreover, it further enshrines the supremacy of the House of Commons in such matters.
Currently, any MP is liable to be kicked out if they're jailed for more than 12 months. Today's proposals allows for a 'right to recall' if an MP is convicted of a serious criminal offence for which they receive a custodial sentence of less than 12 months. It's actually quite a tiny tweak to current law.
The draft bill also allows for a 'right to recall' to be triggered by a Resolution of the House of Commons. If a Resolution is passed, the Returning Officer in the Constituency of said member would be responsible for holding an 8 week open session for voters to submit a petition to recall their MP.
In order to cause the MP to vacate their seat, and a by election to be held, only 10% of voters would need to sign the petition, but let us be clear, it would be a virtual impossibility for the process to get this far, and any 10% threshold acts only to reenforce the wishes of Parliament.
Let me say it again, there is absolutely no mechanism by which any member of the public will be able to trigger the process of our supposed right to recall.
So what are these proposals if not smoke and mirrors?