Parliamentary and Local Elections (Choice of Electoral Systems)
From Democracywiki
Central Lobby
 Our View Commenting on the Bill, Director of the New Politics Network Peter Facey said: "Politicians have repeatedly demonstrated that they are incapable of discussing electoral reform without both real and perceived self-interest derailing the process; it is time for the people to decide. The Electoral Choice Bill would lead to a radical change in the relationship between the citizen and the state, and we can see no reason why any true democrat would oppose such a reform." Prof. Stuart Weir of Charter 88, said: "The last General Election showed a growing disengagement and disillusionment with national politics, a situation which is only worse within local politics. Giving citizens real power over the way that they are governed on the local level would be a real way of empowering people and bringing them back into the political process." |
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What the Bill does
The Parliamentary and Local Elections (Choice of Electoral Systems) Bill, if made law, would make provision for referendums to be held on changing the electoral system, at both a national and a local level. However, citizens, not politicians, would be at the heart of the system:
- If 5% of the electorate call for it (either nationwide or within a specific local authority), a referendum must be held on whether to change the electoral system to another one (this procedure already exists for local people to demand a referendum on the question of introducing or abolishing elected mayors);
- Instead of calling for a specific system, electors can also petition for a citizens assembly to be established, in which case an assembly of randomly selected members of the public will be set up to deliberate on whether to change the system. Their recommendation will then be put to a referendum for approval.
The Canadian Province of British Columbia has recently experimented with a citizens assembly. Local authorities and other policy-making bodies in the UK are increasingly using citizens juries which work in a similar way.
June 2006
The Bill was tabled by David Chaytor MP in the Commons and was the subject of a debate.
December 2005
On 15 November the Electoral Choice Bill was launched in Parliament by David Chaytor MP (Labour, Bury North), John Denham MP (Labour Southampton Itchen), Peter Facey (New Politics Network), John Jackson (Active Citizens Transform) and Stuart Weir (Charter88).
David Chaytor has also tabled an Early Day Motion, sponsored by John Denham, Richard Burden (Labour, Birmingham Northwood), Patrick Hall (Labour, Bedford), David Heath (Liberal Democrat, Somerton and Frome) and Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat, North Devon), in support of the Bill. EDM 1028 Electoral Choice and The Voting System for the House of Commons and for Local Authorities states:
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.
Links
Launch of Electoral Choice Bill Text of June 2006 debate (TheyWorkForYou)
