27th May 2009

Greens sign up to new campaign for electoral reform

Cllr Martin Whiteside, the Green party's Parliamentary spokesperson for Stroud (pictured) said: "David Cameron's sudden conversion to the parliamentary reform agenda is welcome, but his outright rejection of proportional representation suggests he is not serious about the revival of democratic accountability."

Martin Whiteside said: "Elections to the Commons depend upon a minority of swing voters and in most constituencies the individual voter’s choice makes no difference. The expense crisis reveals we are being governed by a political elite that has stopped listening and who are accountable to no one but their party machines. It is worth noting that this week Caroline Lucas MEP, leader of the Green Party, has been rated best British MEP on transparency, accountability, democracy and waste by campaign group Open Europe - and Britain's Green Party MEPs were ranked above the groups of all other British parties (i)."

Martin Whiteside said: "Elections under PR show that many people want to vote for parties other than Labour or Conservative. Under PR a voter knows that the party they support has a good chance of election. With no party in the majority, under PR the various parties can work with one another to bring about the changes that the majority want. That provides a clear channel for the will of the grassroots to be conveyed to policy-makers. It does not reduce democratic accountability, as Cameron claims, but enhances it. Elections by PR for the House of Commons would compel governments to be more responsive to a full range of views, and that would lead to better government. This is the constitutional reform that Britain needs above all."

Philip Booth, a Stroud District councillor added: "Greens fully support the Make Your Votes Count campaign launched this week. Our society faces challenges like the economic crisis, erosion of liberties and the threat of climate chaos. Yet our whole political system is close to collapse. We want a new electoral system that makes everyone's vote count. We want the right to be able to vote for a change. I would urge others to sign up at: http://www.makemyvotecount.org.uk/ref2010 "

Notes:
(i) See more at:
http://www.glosgreenparty.org.uk/content/view/2309/2/