Electoral Reform Society: A fresh start for democracy
Electoral Reform Society logo
Wednesday, 27, Jun 2007 12:00
Campaign calls for root and branch reform of our democracy
Today the Electoral Reform Society launched a campaign to bring about a Fresh Start for British democracy.
The campaign calls for sweeping changes to the way politicians do business, and takes aim at the heart of the current malaise: the way we vote.
Dr Ken Ritchie, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society said:
“With a new Prime Minister in the wings it’s open season for the critics of British democracy. Organisations are lining up with this and that recipe for reform.
“This is not about big names. This is about big ideas.
“Our first past the post voting continues to propagate a breed of politics that is turning people away from voting. A system that hands vast power to parties, out of all proportion to the support they enjoy in the nation. A system that takes power away from the voting public.
“Our elections provide the foundations for our democracy. It’s time they got a second look.
“There is something rotten with the state of our politics. And so today we’re calling for a fresh start. A fresh start that involves ordinary people, to change a system that has long ceased to be about the people. Join us.”
Notes to Editors
• A campaign website will be going live at 00:00 AM. Users will be invited to back the principle of Fresh Start. http://www.a-fresh-start.org.uk/
• An advertising campaign based on the rotten apple concept will be appearing in newspapers and magazines starting in today’s Guardian.
• The Fresh Start Declaration is available in full online. It’s core points include a change in our voting system will give us a new form of politics that will:
1. Make all elections genuine contests so that all voters have an incentive to vote and all parties have an incentive to campaign everywhere;
2. Increase the power of voters, by making votes count, and avoiding the pressure for tactical voting, through allowing voters to rank their choice in order of preference;
3. Better reflect the views of voters and the diversity of the electorate.
• All campaign graphics courtesy of Texture Ltd www.texture.co.uk/. Web development courtesy of Hilton & Hilton Ltd, http://www.hiltonandhilton.com Room 202, 23-28 Penn Street, London, N1 5DL
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