* Bennett backs campaign for Westminster electoral reform
Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, has continued her party’s push for electoral reform by signing an Unlock Democracy petition calling for Parliament to give parties a share of seats closely reflecting “the share of votes the people give them”[1].
At May’s General Election, the Green Party had its best ever result by winning over one million votes but were only rewarded with only one MP – Brighton Pavilion’s Caroline Lucas.
Bennett said:
"I'm delighted to see the campaign for a fair voting system going from strength to strength. It's a cross-party and community effort that reflects the fact that many people in Britain are saying 'this government doesn't represent us, doesn't speak for us'.
"When only 24% of eligible voters back a government, it's clear that the system is broken. Voters need to know that their choice has an impact and that it counts."
Polling released shortly before the 2015 General Election revealed that 74% of the public support the principle of proportional voting, where votes are accurately translated into seats [2].
ENDS
Notes:
[1] http://www.unlockdemocracy.org/votingreformdeclaration/
[2] An ERS poll by BMG Research showed 74% agreeing or strongly agreeing that ‘the number of seats a party gets should broadly reflect its proportion of the total votes cast’, compared to just 6% who disagree.