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Electoral Reform: “There’s all to play for”
Published: Wednesday, November 4th 2009
Campaigners pressing for a vote on electoral reform have welcomed news from Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw that “it would be a missed opportunity not to have a referendum on Election Day.”
In an interview with the New Statesman the Bradshaw broke with the government’s stated policy of pushing talk of a referendum into the next parliament. Bradshaw said “if we’re serious about the voters as grown-ups, then let them decide, and I think they’d be perfectly capable of making a decision.”
The Vote for a Change campaign and the Electoral Reform Society, that have been leading calls for vote at the next election have said “there’s all to play for.”
The campaign is towing a 10 foot effigy of Sir Peter Viggers Duck Island to the Commons terraces for Bonfire Night as a symbol of how little has changed in the struggle to bring real accountability to Westminster.
Dr Ken Ritchie from the Electoral Reform Society said:
“Ben Bradshaw’s comments are welcome news for all those who’ve realised our politics had reached its sell by date. We are pleased to see a cabinet minister prepared to question both the timing and system on offer in Brown’s conference pledge.
“The expenses crisis can still have a silver lining. And that means a vote on a truly proportional system come Election Day.
“Ben Bradshaw has recognised the Alternative Vote is a step back from Labour’s early pledges to transform our politics. We need this debate in government. It sends a strong message to all reformers that there’s all to play for.
“The expenses crisis can still have a silver lining. And that means a vote on a truly proportional system come Election Day.
“Ben Bradshaw has recognised the Alternative Vote is a step back from Labour’s early pledges to transform our politics. We need this debate in government. It sends a strong message to all reformers that there’s all to play for.
Willie Sullivan from the Vote for a Change campaign said:
“In Brighton Brown accepted that electoral reform was part of the solution to the crisis of accountability at Westminster. Yet he offered another manifesto commitment some dozen years after Labour returned to power with a similar pledge. No one who really wants to change the rules of politics was satisfied by more promises.
“Ben Bradshaw’s commitment to change is not in doubt, but the PM is a recent convert. Brown has since gone on the record stating he is genuinely ‘passionate’ about voting reform, but if he’s serious, he has to deliver a referendum this parliament. That is the test of his new found faith in the ‘New Politics’.”
“It seems nothing has really changed at Westminster, but by showing his willingness to act on reform on Election Day Brown can turn the page. Brown can swap words for decisive action. He can show he’s prepared to let the voters decide the future of their parliament when MPs gather for the Queen’s Speech on November 18th.
“Ben Bradshaw’s commitment to change is not in doubt, but the PM is a recent convert. Brown has since gone on the record stating he is genuinely ‘passionate’ about voting reform, but if he’s serious, he has to deliver a referendum this parliament. That is the test of his new found faith in the ‘New Politics’.”
“It seems nothing has really changed at Westminster, but by showing his willingness to act on reform on Election Day Brown can turn the page. Brown can swap words for decisive action. He can show he’s prepared to let the voters decide the future of their parliament when MPs gather for the Queen’s Speech on November 18th.
Notes to editors:
- Brown’s commitment to a referendum has been widely reported to have been inserted some 45 minutes before his address to conference. The decision was not discussed at Cabinet or the Democratic Renewal Council tasked with reforming parliament prior to the speech.
- The Vote for a Change campaign will be towing a 10 foot Duck Island to the Commons terraces tomorrow to underline how little has changed since MPs left for recess. The effigy will be burnt after dark. For any further enquiries, contact Campaign’s Director Willie Sullivan on 07940523842 willie@voteforachange.co.uk
Contacts:
For any further enquiries, contact Dr Ken Ritchie on 07754165551 or Willie Sullivan on 07940523842 willie@voteforachange.co.ukLatest News
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