Clegg: Reforms 'bolster legitimacy of parliament'

Monday, 6 September 2010 12:00 AM

Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, commends the voting system and constituencies bill to the House of Commons:

"There are members of the government who hold contrasting views on these systems. Come the referendum, there will be those of us who campaign on different sides. We emphatically agree, however, that the final decision should be made not by us, but by the British people.

"If we together cannot deliver these reforms, we will have to ask ourselves what we really meant when each of us promised our constituents that we would seek to reform and strengthen our politics.

"Fewer, more equally sized and more up-to-date constituencies will help to bolster the legitimacy of parliamentary elections."

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