This bill allows for a referendum on the electoral system if 5% of the electorate sign a petition.
See if your MP has signed EDM 1028 here, and if not send them a letter.
I notice that only 62 MPs have signed it so far - 18 Labour, 39 Lib Dem and 5 others (no Tories - what a surprise). It seems strange that there are 24 Lib Dem MPs who have yet to sign and quite a few of the smaller parties haven't signed either. I wonder why?
Where's the Bill? I can't find it on the parliament.uk site. Without seeing the contents of the bill it's impossible to come up with reasons why MP's might not be supporting it. If the Tories haven't supported it then there might be a very good reason.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the rough outline on the website you have linked to, it provides the ability for the electorate to change the system of voting with a petition containing signatures of 5% of the population. That's 3m people, not achievable by joe public but easy for businesses, animal rights terrorists, political parties, etc.
What we need is legislation to force a referendum on any issue when a petition is presented. That would keep the corrupt career politicians on their toes.
The bill is being introduced as a ten minute rule bill.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Make Votes Count website;
"At the moment there is no parliamentary time available for this Bill. Even so, it is worth making MPs aware that this Bill does exist and should be given support in parliament. You can help by writing to your MP (c/o House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA) and asking them to sign Early Day Motion 1028. The full text is below:
"EDM 1028 - Electoral Choice and the Voting System for the House of Commons and for Local Authorities
"That this House believes that the essence of democracy is the sovereignty of the people, and that the people are entitled to choose how that sovereignty is ceded to Government on their behalf; and, therefore, supports the provisions of the Electoral Choice Bill, introduced by a cross party group of honourable Members on 15th November, which would enable citizens, via a petition signed by five per cent. of the relevant electorate, to call a referendum on the voting system for this House and for each individual local authority."