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January 24, 2008
Lib Dem response to review
In a press release, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg expressed his disappointment with the lack of conclusions drawn by the MOJ's review of electoral systems.
"As anti-climaxes go this is going to take some beating. It takes a peculiar kind of genius for ministers to spend a decade deciding what to do with our voting system before reaching the conclusion that we should wait a bit longer. Our political system is broken, but the Government seems happy to let it stay that way. Both the Labour and Conservative parties are happy to talk about getting people involved in politics but refuse to tackle the fundamental issue of electoral reform. That is why I have asked Gordon Brown and David Cameron to join me in a constitutional convention so we can begin to deliver the change that the British people deserve."
Mr. Clegg will be even more distressed to note that the MOJ is now spinning the results of the review to say that our current system works well and that the debate on PR and electoral reform is now closed. Clegg is right that First Past the Post is not working and that our government seems content to let it stay that way.
Posted by joshloewenstein on January 24, 2008
Comments
It is very clear that neither Labour nor the Conservatives will go anywhere near changing FPTP until they are forced to (ie. by Parliamentary arithmetic after a future General Election). Clegg must not be distracted by the allure of possible power, as Ashdown was by Blair.
The LDs must be quite clear. They will vote down any Queen's speech not containing measures on electoral reform- whether Conservative or Labour. They should say they are prepared to precipitate another elction- which in effect would be a referendum for electoral reform if it produced another hung Parliament.
Posted by: Andrew Kitching at January 25, 2008 08:18 AM
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