COMPULSORY VOTING CALL 'ADMISSION OF FAILURE' - TYLER

Liberal Democrat Shadow Constitutional Affairs Minister, Lord Tyler today (Thursday) said Peter Hain's call for compulsory voting was an admission of Labour's failure to re-engage citizens and empower local government.

Commenting, Lord Tyler said:

"I welcome Peter Hain's repeated calls for a democratic second chamber, and for reform of the voting system.

"Yet his call to make voting compulsory is misguided.  At the moment, in many safe seats, forced voting would result in people writing in 'None Of The Above'. 

"Mr Hain himself acknowledges that Labour has failed to alter Britain's skewed balance of power, by refusing to let go.

"Now that power is draining away from the Prime Minister, and support for the Government is in free fall, Mr Hain is simply marking out his territory for the Deputy Leadership.

"People will rightly ask why he didn't speak up earlier, with his clarion call to place power in the hands of local, democratically elected representatives.

"Until Labour gives citizens and communities some real power, legislation to force people to use their vote would be a premature admission of failure."

Note to Editors:

Peter Hain's speech is available at:  http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/keynote-speeches/after-devolution-next-steps-for-democratic-reform-2/