Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Are the Tories in a Pickle over Fair Voting?


PictureTeri Pengilley at the Independent

Message from the VoteForaChange campaign (Demand support for Fair Voting from your MP)

What’s wrong with Pickles’ politics? -

07/10/2009

Tory chairman Eric Pickles addressed the Conservative conference with a rallying cry for "fair votes". If only he'd really meant it - but of course, he didn't.

Apparently Pickles' idea of fair votes means a boundary review - one that would help the Tories, naturally. But even without this constituency carve up, the Conservatives' share of seats will be wildly more than their share of votes. Re-arranging the seats is about as useful in this Parliament as it would be on the Titanic.

Pickles doesn't want fairness - he just wants to re-allocate the unfairness. And even worse, he thinks that he and his fellow politicians should get to make that choice. The Tories' plans will be passed through a House of Commons that even they now admit is unfairly elected, and an unelected House of Lords that even they want to abolish.

They're happy to spend this week discussing a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty - but not to give us a say on the most fundamental question of our democracy: our votes.

If Pickles thinks that fair votes just means a helpful boundary change for the Tories, let him make his case. Not just to the Conservative Party conference or Tory MPs - but to the people. In a referendum. And then let us decide.

But politicians like Pickles won't give up that power unless we make them. That's why we need you to sign up now - before Pickles gets to decide for us:

http://voteforachange.co.uk/referendum

Posted via email from sunwalking's posterous

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