Summary: M.P. introduces bill proposing Citizens Assembly in U.K. parliament.
New Politics Network: Electoral choice bill welcomed
Tue, 15 Nov 2005
The New Politics Network has welcomed the launch of the Electoral Choice Bill, arguing that it will "radically change the relationship between the citizen and the state."
The Electoral Choice Bill, if made law, would make provision for referendums to be held on changing the electoral system, at both a national and local level. However, citizens, not politicians, would be at the heart of the system:
If 5% of the electorate call for it (either nationwide or within a specific local authority), a referendum must be held on whether to change the electoral system to another one (this procedure already exists for local people to demand a referendum on the question of introducing or abolishing elected mayors); Instead of calling for a specific system, electors can also petition for a "citizens' assembly" to be established, in which case an assembly of randomly selected members of the public will be set up to deliberate on whether to change the system. Their recommendation will then be put to a referendum for approval.
The Canadian Province of British Columbia has recently experimented with a citizens' assembly and local authorities and other policy-making bodies are increasingly using the use of "citizens' juries" which work in a similar way.
The Electoral Choice Bill will be launched in the House of Commons (Room R, 1st Floor, Portcullis House) at 10.30-11.30am on Tuesday 15 November by David Chaytor MP, John Denham MP, Peter Facey (New Politics Network), John Jones (Active Citizens Transform) and Stuart Weir (Charter88).
Commenting on the Bill, Director of the New Politics Network Peter Facey said:
"Politicians have repeatedly demonstrated that they are incapable of discussing electoral reform without both real and perceived self-interest derailing the process; it is time for the people to decide. The Electoral Choice Bill would lead to a radical change in the relationship between the citizen and the state, and we can see no reason why any true democrat would oppose such a reform.
"The Labour government established the principle that local people should be able to determine the structures of local government to suit their needs when they introduced legislation for elected mayors. This Bill simply extends this principle further."
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