WHY would anyone pursue a career in Parliament?

Cynics might answer that question by saying: for power and a hefty pack packet.

If all they cared about was money they wouldn’t become MPs at all. There are far greater riches to be made as a lawyer or corporate high flier. Many MPs have quit such jobs and taken a pay cut to enter Parliament.

As for power, most backbenchers, particularly those in opposition, don’t wield any significant influence.

The fact is that most of the people who enter top level politics do so to try and make a difference, however big or small that turns out to be. Depending on your point of view some go on to make the world a slightly nicer place and some seem hell-bent on making us miserable.

This morning, Labour’s MPs – including their leader Jeremy Corbyn – are faced with a stark choice. Do they want to make a difference and improve the lives of their constituents or are they content to stay on the fringes of power?

The parliamentary Labour party still has an important role to play as Her Majesty’s Opposition, with the authority and duty to challenge the Government, shape legislation and debate the issues that affect us all. But if it remains in opposition then its influence is always going to be minimal.

Having suffered two devastating election defeats, it is clear there will not be another Labour government unless the party responds to the public mood. It needs to become a credible and electable movement and apply its traditions to be something that has relevance to people across the UK.

To do that will require compromises.

Mr Corbyn clearly tapped into a groundswell of discontent following last May’s election defeat and his subsequent victory in the leadership vote might lead him to think that he can repeat the trick on a national level. The vast majority of his MPs no longer agree with that sentiment.

They need to decide if they are happy to be a party that acts as a rallying point for the disaffected, or part of a progressive movement that can oust the Conservatives from power.

It is time to remember why they became MPs in the first place.