James Graham (London, Unlock Democracy): Unlock Democracy has welcomed the fact that over 100 MPs have now signed up in support of the proposed Citizens Convention Bill.
The Bill, which Lib Dem MP Julia Goldsworthy presented to the House of Commons in June, will commit the Government to establishing a constitutional convention in order to involve people from all sections of society in improving the way the United Kingdom is governed. It is supported by MPs from across the spectrum, including Conservatives, Labour, Plaid Cymru, the DUP, the SDLP and independents.
Commenting, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said:
We have had a terrific response from MPs from across the political spectrum. Parliamentarians have picked up on the fact that the public are demanding a change in the way we do politics in this country and that the Government's proposals to tackle this simply do not go far enough.
We will continue to build on this over the next few weeks and months, and work to build a popular mass movement for change similar to the one behind our successful Sustainable Communities Bill.
With the debacle over the phony-election still ringing in our ears, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are engaged in a war of words regarding which of them best represents 'new politics'. Backing the Citizens' Convention Bill, and thus making a firm commitment to give citizens themselves a crucial role in the shaping of our democracy, would demonstrate they were really serious.
