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October 04, 2009
Have the Conservatives got what it takes to clean up politics?
As eyes focus on Manchester, and what could be the Tories last conference in opposition, campaigners are asking if Cameron’s Party really have what it takes to clean up politics.
The Vote for a Change campaign, which has been leading calls for a referendum on a voting system that let so many of our MPs off the hook, has organised an event hosted by anti-sleaze campaigner Martin Bell, with guests including maverick MEP and star of Youtube and FoxNews Dan Hannon, and Lewis Baston, from the Guardian’s Comment is Free.
With voters facing another unaccountable and unrepresentative parliament at the next election the meeting will be asking if Tory Tinkering is enough to fix our broken politics.
Willie Sullivan from the Vote for a Change campaign said:
“In Brighton Gordon Brown had his chance to let voters decide the future of their parliament. He blew it. His empty promise to put a referendum on the voting system in Labour’s manifesto was a case of words winning out over decisive action.
“David Cameron and his party remain steadfastly opposed to letting the people decide how we elect our politicians. So as Tories arrive in Manchester, we’re asking why a party of the future remains so committed to the politics of the past.
“The bankrupt politics of first-past-the-post have left the majority of our MPs are free to enjoy jobs for life – all expenses paid. Poll after poll is proving that voters of all parties want change. We’ve seen Tory Tinkering – from calls for smaller parliaments, open primaries, even pricier dinners in the Commons canteen - but not one proposal has any chance of giving all of us a vote that really counts on Election Day.
“We’ll see if the Conservatives are willing to grasp the nettle of reform, or are simply interested in grabbing headlines”
“Conservatives always describe themselves as the party of choice, and we’ll see if they’re prepared to let the public have that choice at a referendum. Cameron’s promised voters a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but after all we saw in the expenses crisis the big question of how we hire and fire out MP is just as important.“Politics isn’t about lectures or hollow promises, it’s about debate. And the time for that debate is now.”
A Very British Revolution: The Expenses Scandal and How To Save Our Democracy by Martin Bell due to be published by Icon Books on 2 October 2009.
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND
Have the Conservatives got what it takes to clean up politics?
Sunday, October 4, 2009, 3:15pm - 4:45pm
Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester
A public debate on the eve of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, this is an ideal opportunity for voters in the North West to demand a different kind of politics.
Speakers include:
MARTIN BELL
DANIEL HANNAN MEP
LEWIS BASTON
JOHN STRAFFORD (Chairman of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy)
Photo op
The campaign brought its ‘Gravy Train’ crewed by Cameron, Blears and Brown to Labour’s Conference in Brighton, and will heading to Manchester and Salford. The Gravy Train will be on site from 3:00pm – 3:15pm. Please contact Malcolm Clark on 07733 322 148 for more details.
Hi res photos are available to the press.
Posted by malcolmclark on October 04, 2009
