Lib Dems call on Brown to give up election power
Friday, 16 May 2008 09:26
Parliaments should have a fixed term, the Lib Dems say
The prime minister should not have the power to decide when elections are held, the Liberal Democrats have said.
The party's bill to introduce four-year fixed term parliaments has its second reading in the Commons tomorrow.
"The present system gives a totally unfair advantage to the party in power, by allowing prime ministers to take advantage of temporary popularity to keep their jobs for up to another five years," David Howarth, Liberal Democrat justice spokesman said.
"Just imagine that Gordon Brown had called and won an election last year – we would now be stuck with him until 2012."
Under the present system the prime minister can call an election whenever he wants, up to five years after the previous election.
Mr Howarth says the system is unfair and inefficient.
"This is an opportunity for Gordon Brown to prove that he is not the power-hungry control freak he appears to be," he continued.
Despite his words of encouragement, however, the Liberal Democrats allowing a free vote on the issue.
It's not yet clear if the Conservatives will support the bill.
Speaking to
politics.co.uk, Theresa May, the shadow commons leader, said: "Fixed term parliaments are something we should look at but I think there are disadvantages, because at time elections are appropriate.
"Actually, in the case of a prime minister who says he's going to serve a full third term and then doesn't I think it's appropriate to hold an election, because the people voted for one thing and then got something completely different.," she continued.
Peter Facey, director of Unlock Democracy, said: "The debacle last autumn over whether or not Gordon Brown was going to call a general election highlighted quite how arbitrary and potentially damaging our current system is.
Governments tend to call elections when they are popular and an election isn’t really needed while putting off elections when they are not. The less popular the government, the longer they get to stay in power; surely it is time this iniquitous system was sorted out?"