35 Labour PPCs and sitting MPs have signed a letter to Prime Minster, Gordon Brown, demanding a referendum on electoral reform to be held on the day of the General Election.

Coming just ahead of the Queen’s Speech, the PPCs say “…we do not believe that Labour will benefit at the next general election unless voters see that we are prepared to actually deliver a chance of real change.”

The letter was welcomed by Vote for a Change Director, Willie Sullivan who said:

There is clearly a reform dividend for any party that is ready to deliver real change that will both provide fairness and deal with the mess surrounding MPs expenses.

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Dear Gordon.

We welcome your conference announcement that the next Labour manifesto would contain a commitment to hold a referendum on electoral reform marks a welcome recognition that the people must be given a say in the way their representatives are elected.

However, while this offer is made in good faith, we do not believe that Labour will benefit at the next general election unless voters see that we are prepared to actually deliver a chance of real change. Given the depth of public cynicism towards politicians then – without demonstrable proof of intent – it will be regarded as just another paper promise.

A referendum on polling day on a system that delivers real voter choice would see hundreds of Liberal Democrats switching to Labour, hundreds more stay-at-home Labour supporters coming out to vote for the government and every Tory opponent on the back foot trying to explain why the failed old system is worth keeping and why Cameron wouldn’t give the people a say. So we just need to switch the date and fulfill our 1997 manifesto pledge.

The ideal situation for Labour and for British democracy would be to hold the referendum on the same day as the next election. A government bill could facilitate this and there is also the opportunity to amend the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill to legislate for a future date for the referendum. Subject to detail, we will be supporting such an amendment.

Yours sincerely

Kathryn White: Aylesbury
Ian Saunders: Beverley and Holderness
Sharon Carr-Brown: Bournemouth West
John Piasecki: Bracknell
Simon Brugess: Brighton Kemptown
Nancy Platts: Brighton Pavilion
Jude Robinson: Camborne and Redruth
Daniel Zeichner: Cambridge
Julian Ware-Lane: Castle Point
Alex Hilton: Chelsea and Fulham
Damien Welfare: Chipping Barnet
Cath Arakelian: Chingford and Woodford Green
Dave Rowntree: Cities of London & Westminster
Colin Swindell: Derbyshire Dales
Pat Merrick: Eddisbury
Liam Robinson: Fylde
Tim Shand: Guildford
Darren Barrenger: Harwich and North Essex
Robert Smith: Havant
Steve Terry: Hertford & Stortford
Andrew Skudder: Horsham
Stephen Twigg MP: Liverpool West Derby
Swatantra Nandanwar: Maldon
John Tizard: Mid Bedfordshire
Andrew Pakes: Milton Keynes North
Michael Castle: Norfolk South
Stephen Morgan: Orpington
Jack Scott: Sheffield Hallam
Jon Tandy: Shrewsbury and Atcham
Derek Wyatt MP: Sittingbourne and Sheppey
James Normington: Sleaford and North Hykeham
Matthew May: South Northamptonshire
Kevin Bonavia: Southend East
Tom Flynn: Southend West
James Alexander: York Outer

Signatories to this letter were gathered with the assistance of Progress and the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform

1. Liberal Conspiracy
   

   :: Labour PPCs sign letter calling for electoral reform http://bit.ly/3q2cXh/