An interesting polemic and I agree with some of it.

Johnson/Cummings are clearly using the Donald Trump playbook, but they have only been in No 10 for a matter of weeks. Prior to that the language of public debate (set by the government and media - especially print/online media) has changed so that previous norms and conventions have been trashed. In my view this has mainly focused on undermining the courts and promoting extreme populism often based on simplistic, misleading and violent propaganda. There hasn't been a coup in the UK but there has been a subversion of liberal democracy and the institutions that support it. The references to the USA, India, Brazil and the Philipines show what can happen if this direction of travel isn't stopped.

I don't agree with the article when it comes to political parties and MPs representing their constituencies. MPs should represent their constituencies and individuals who come to them for advice or help regardless of how they votes, but the MP is elected on the basis of a party manifesto and as a member of a political party. They are duty bound to vote on that basis, whilst free to argue internally for change or evolution in the party programme, and if they no longer feel able to support that programme they should resign. I think the best guarantee of democratic legitimacy in our system is large, active party memberships - reinforced by affiliations by sympathetic organisations.

The main reason I still support Labour (though not a member since early 2013) is because of the organisational links to the trade union movement, its' mass membership (though bigger would be much better) progressive manifesto (in 2017) and - despite Blair ripping up Clause 4 - a set of values and principles that I still identify with most of the time. I don't want MPs who get elected on a party ticket and then freelance (betray their electorate) using the argument that they are just following their conscience. If that's how they want to act they should stand as independents or just take their egos and opinions down the pub.