TORIES COULD BUY ELECTION SWINDLE – TYLER

The combination of targeted funding of a select few marginal constituencies, together with the built-in distortions of the present voting system, is likely to produce a fraudulent result at the next general election, Lord (Paul) Tyler has warned Ministers.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Tyler said: “Imagine the public reaction and further disengagement if one party clearly wins the popular vote, and is clearly first past the post, but another forms a new Government with a clear majority of MPs. The system will have failed even on its own terms. What a swindle! That would make Parliament truly illegitimate.”

Lord Tyler explained that 800,000 voters in marginal constituencies could decide an election against the national trend.  “One man has perfected the art of tactical targeting”, he told Peers.  “Lord Ashcroft bankrolled Conservative candidates in selected seats in the years leading up to the 2005 general election. His huge investment paid off. Peter Bradley, former Labour MP for The Wrekin, has established that 24 of the 36 Conservative gains were paid for with the Ashcroft millions. This country has not seen such deliberate and successful vote-buying since the rotten boroughs were swept away in 1832.”

Commenting after the exchange, Lord Tyler said:

“The Minister confirmed that there would be a Bill to regulate party finance and expenditure, but the government is still turning a blind-eye to the dangerous pitfalls of the electoral system.

“To avoid a complete collapse of public confidence, urgent action both is required.”

ENDS

Lord Tyler’s speech can be found in Lords Hansard, 12th November 2007, col. 318.  Click here to read it on the web.