Labour's Scrapheap Of Electoral Reform Promises - Tyler

12.28.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Dec 2007

Responding to news that the Government has reneged on its commitment to publish a review of all the electoral systems introduced in Britain by the end of the year, Liberal Democrat Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson, Lord [Paul] Tyler said: "This is yet another commitment on electoral reform to add to the Government's scrapheap of broken promises.

"It doesn't take a lengthy report to work out that the present voting system for Westminster elections cheats the public of a real choice.

"People will conclude that ministers are simply scared to expose this fraud at the heart of our democratic system."

Notes:

Labour's promises on electoral reform:

1996: Tony Blair said there should be "the chance for the people to decide after the election the system by which they elect the Government of the future" (Tony Blair, My Vision of a Young Country - London: Fourth Estate)

1997: Labour's election manifesto said "We are committed to a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons. An independent commission on voting systems will be appointed early to recommend a proportional alternative to the first-past-the-post system."

2001: Labour's election manifesto said: "The Independent Commission on the Voting System made proposals for electoral reform at Westminster. We will review the experience of the new systems and the Jenkins report to assess whether changes might be made to the electoral system for the House of Commons. A referendum remains the right way to agree any change for Westminster."

2005: Labour's election manifesto said: "Labour remains committed to reviewing the experience of the new electoral systems - introduced for the devolved administrations, the European Parliament and the London Assembly. A referendum remains the right way to agree any change for Westminster."

2007: Governance of Britain Green Paper: In line with the Government's manifesto, it is carrying out a review of the experience of the new voting systems established since 1997 to contribute to the debate. The review will include information on the elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2007 and for the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament in May 2007. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by the end of this year.