New Voting System?

Nick Robinson of the BBC, posts on the fact that the government plans to ask MPs to vote next week on taking the first step towards changing Britain's voting system.

"Senior ministers agreed today to propose an amendment to the Constitutional Renewal Bill to offer voters a referendum by the autumn of 2011 on scrapping Britain's "first past the post" system and replacing it with the "alternative vote" (AV) system."

So we have a government who will not allow us, the voter, a referendum on who governs us (referendum on membership of the European Union) but wishes to 'grant' us a referendum on who governs us (referendum on who should be elected to Parliament) Err - and the difference is?

Robinson posts that "The cabinet is to be asked to approve the plan tomorrow, allowing Gordon Brown to unveil the idea in a speech he is delivering on political reform at lunchtime."

With the use of this website, let us look at the Cabinet and their stance on 'referendums to allow us to vote on the system of how we are governed'.

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, First Secretary and Lord President of the Council Rt Hon Lord Mandelson
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Rt Hon David Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor Rt Hon Jack Straw MP **
Secretary of State for the Home Department Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Rt Hon John Denham MP
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Rt Hon Ed Balls MP
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Rt Hon Edward Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Health Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP *
Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rt Hon Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Minister for the Cabinet Office, and for the Olympics and Paymaster General Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
Secretary of State for Scotland Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Peter Hain MP
Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP
Secretary of State for Transport Rt Hon Lord Adonis
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP

Also attend Cabinet meetings: +
Minister of State for Business, Innovations and Skills Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP
Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform Rt Hon Jim Knight MP
Minister of State for Housing and Planning Rt Hon John Healey MP
Minister of State for Science and Innovation Rt Hon Lord Drayson *
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip Rt Hon Nicholas Brown MP

Attend Cabinet meetings when Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda: + +

Attorney General Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC
Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination; Local Government Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP
Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP
Minister of State for Transport Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP

Yup, not one of these wished the electorate to decide on who governs this country - yet you can bet your last penny that the entire bunch of f'wits above will concur with their leader's 'new' idea!

And politicians have principles? Spheroids!