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Proceeding contribution from Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour) in the House of Lords on Monday, 20 December 2010. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.


Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

I would call that relatively divided. The point is that this is a totally artificial debate. It would be really worrying if the turnout were to be only 13 per cent of the electorate. That was the figure that I picked, but if the overall turnout were to be as low as 18 or 19 per cent—as it was in some wards in Manchester that I checked on last week—you could find that approval in some parts of the country was as low as 10 per cent, representing only one in 10 voters. My noble friend has come forward with the politically reasonable suggestion that there will obviously be varying decisions in the various parts of the country. She is saying that there must be a majority in every part of the kingdom, but I would add the requirement for a threshold set on approval of the question, which we shall no doubt come to on Report.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
723 c830 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Constituency size Alternative vote Australia Cornwall Distribution of seats Electoral register Exemptions General elections Isle of Wight Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Assembly Members National Assembly for Wales Referendums Scotland Voting methods Wales Scottish Parliament Ballot papers Ynys Môn Na h-Eileanan an Iar Orkney and Shetland
Legislation
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk