A politician has called on colleagues to police themselves after plans to allow voters to sack their MP were shelved.

The 2010 Coalition Agreement had included a pledge to introduce a law allowing constituents to trigger a by-election if ten per cent of voters recalled their MP.

But it is understood it will not be brought in before next year’s election after the Government left the draft legislation out of the upcoming Queen’s Speech.

Braintree MP Brooks Newmark believes voters already have the opportunity to sack underperforming politicians at general elections.

He said: "If an MP has broken the law then he or she should resign their seat.

“If an MP underperforms and/or is held in disrepute then an association has an opportunity to deselect an MP as we have seen with Tim Yeo in Suffolk, or the electorate have an opportunity to vote for another candidate at the general election."