Should MPs Be Treated Like CEOs?

The Case for Performance, Not Promises

If MPs were running a business, the country would have declared bankruptcy long ago. Think about it: missed targets, unchecked expenses, broken promises, and absolutely no performance reviews. In any corporate environment, they’d be fired. In politics? They’re promoted.

It begs the question: Should Members of Parliament be treated like CEOs?

No Results, No Renewal

In the private sector, leadership is directly tied to outcomes. If a CEO fails to deliver growth, investors act. If a product flops, heads roll. But in politics? MPs can coast for years with little more than a boilerplate manifesto and a few slick media appearances.

It’s time we flipped the script.

We need fixed terms, clear metrics, and performance audits reviewed by independent, nonpartisan bodies. Just like a CEO’s annual review, there should be consequences for failure and recognition for results.

Your Taxes, Their Salary

Let’s not forget who pays MPs: you do. And unlike shareholders who can pull investment or change boards, voters are stuck with their local MP unless an election is called—or unless that MP finally decides to step down, usually to take a better-paid media gig.

Shouldn’t we expect a quarterly performance review on how effectively they:

1) Represent constituents’ concerns?
2) Deliver on their campaign promises?
3) Manage public resources?
4) Show up (literally—attendance in Parliament is a joke for some)?

The Accountability Vacuum

Currently, accountability in politics is reactive, not proactive. Scandal breaks? Then we investigate. Public outcry? Then we respond. In business, reputational risk is preempted by structure and scrutiny. In politics, it’s often patched over with PR.

Imagine if an MP’s record were publicly graded like a credit score—visible, trackable, updated in real-time. Imagine if expenses, voting patterns, and public engagement were summarised in a dashboard accessible by every constituent. You know—like shareholder reports. You can access some information here. 

It’s Not Radical. It’s Responsible.

This isn’t some fringe idea. It’s basic modern governance. We already audit schools, councils, hospitals, and businesses. Why should MPs be exempt from the very systems of measurement they expect everyone else to obey?

A fixed term—say, five years max without re-election—would stop career politicians from squatting in safe seats. Add annual reviews and a transparent system of recall votes, and suddenly politics looks a lot more like service, not entitlement.

Public Office Shouldn’t Mean Job for Life

Leadership is a privilege, not a pension plan. And yet, we allow MPs to serve for decades without ever proving they’ve earned their keep. Would you trust a CEO who never had to justify their salary or decisions?

As trust in government continues to erode, the demand is clear: accountability, transparency, and meritocracy must replace blind loyalty and careerism.

Call to Action: Who’s Representing You?

Next time you vote, don’t just listen to promises—ask for proof. What has your MP actually done for your community? What’s their attendance record? What have they spent—and on what?

Would you keep paying a CEO who ignores your concerns, misses every meeting, and blames everyone else for failure?

Then why are we still paying MPs who do exactly that?

Conclusion 

It’s time we stopped treating politics like a club and started treating it like a business—a business that serves the public, not the other way around.