May 11th, 2010

Fair votes – pile the pressure on Labour

By JohnnyChatterton

We just sent this email out, if you get any replies from Labour MPs please add them in comments, below.

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The email

Dear friend

Tomorrow could be too late for Fair Votes. We could get a new government which makes a fairer voting system a top priority. Or our chance could slip away.

Some backbench Labour MPs are now blocking the deal. The media are reporting that “as many as 40 MPs” from Labour are opposed to voting reform, and everyone is concerned that they might try to scupper a coalition agreement.[1]

Our pressure two days ago has helped push the Lib Dems to stand firm on Fair Votes. Today we need to do the same to push Labour MPs to get firmly behind working together for Fair Votes.

Click here to e-mail Labour MPs right now in one minute, asking them where they stand on Fair Votes:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/crunch-time/

Together, we can put every single Labour MP under pressure to say where they stand in public. That’ll send a clear signal that voters expect them to rise above petty party politics. It’ll also make it harder for them to dig in their heels behind closed doors.

It shouldn’t be hard for Labour MPs to accept the need for changing the voting system. Their own manifesto included a referendum on one possible change to the electoral system. But it seems there’s a risk that some Labour MPs may put narrow politicking and tribal interests above seizing this opportunity for change.

By working together, we’re shifting the debate on Fair Votes. Working with the Take Back Parliament movement we’ve achieved an amazing amount. When the Lib Dems looked wobbly over the weekend, we sent them over 150,000 emails urging them to hold firm, and raised £20,000 in 5 hours for newspaper adverts telling them “don’t sell out”. Our pressure on them has had a huge impact. Now let’s work together to put Labour MPs under the same kind of pressure.

Get Labour MPs to tell us where they stand on Fair Votes:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/crunch-time/

Thanks for being involved,

David, Hannah, Johnny, Nina and the 38 Degrees Team

PS The Labour Party’s National Executive is expected to meet to discuss Fair Votes at 4pm today. If you’re in London and able to get there, meet at Westminster Central Hall near Parliament at 3:45pm. More info and updates here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118929274804716

[1] Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/11/general-election-2010-live-blog
Times, “Labour split over prospect of ‘obscene’ Lib-Lab coalition”: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7122728.ece