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October 19, 2007
linking party funding and electoral reform
In the same vein as comments made by Archy Kirkwood at our fringe meeting at the Lib Dem Conference, here are some fine words by Polly Toynbee from a piece in The Guardian a week ago.
"Some things don't cost money, only bravery. Brown yesterday left open the scope of the coming constitutional reform. To give away his right to choose the timing of elections might feel a blessed relief after this week - and so would a sharp curb on party spending. The spectacle of one Tory millionaire swaying votes in a few marginals to buy the next election is all the evidence anyone needs of the democratic dysfunction of party funding and of an electoral system that hinges on 200,000 bored swing voters. Jack Straw has already led the way in supporting the alternative vote, giving voters the right to put their choices in 1, 2, 3 order, a first step towards fairer voting: it could be done for the next election. Better by far for Labour to do it before a hung parliament forces them."
Posted by malcolmclark on October 19, 2007
