Sentences with phrase «reform referendum as»

Support for the coalition has now collapsed from 59 % to 43 %, backing for the Lib Dems from 23 % at the general election to 8 % in some polls, and Nick Clegg has become one of the most hated men in Britain as his party prepares to pay a savage political price in next May's elections — and quite possibly in his lifeline electoral reform referendum as well.

Not exact matches

If we are going to have a referendum on voting reform - bearing in mind other questions, such as Scottish independence, are far more pressing - then let's have one on a more credible system.

A key point in the drama comes when the camera lingers on Cameron's expression as he tells Tory backbenchers that Labour may have just offered the Lib Dems electoral reform without a referendum.

They claim boundary changes was introduced as a quid pro quo for the May 2011 referendum on electoral reform, in which the public rejected the alternative vote system by a ratio of two votes to one.

As we saw in the debate over Lords reform, the strongest voices in favour of a referendum are often those that oppose the very change they offer.

«As part of David Cameron's bid to renegotiate the UK's relationship with Brussels, Foreign Secretary William Hague will today reveal the first concrete demand for reform of the European Union ahead of an in - out referendum in 2017.

As for Europe, Miliband is clearly determined not to offer a referendum on EU membership, though he promises to work to reform the EU.

Both of these, in the form of a manifesto commitment to a referendum on electoral reform, and as an exploration of the stake - holding idea espoused by Will Hutton among others, had already entered «New Labour» thinking.

A concern that a new settlement will be a stitch - up amongst the major political parties and the vibrancy of the referendum campaign in Scotland have energised campaigners to call for a convention that is either constituted fully by randomly - selected citizens (as with the British Columbia Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform) or one that is a mix of randomly - selected citizens and participants appointed by political parties (as with the Irish Constitutional Convention).

Unlock Democracy's protest on Saturday succeeded in attracting support from Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and the group is hoping its efforts will help strengthen the party's resolve in calling for a referendum on electoral reform as coalition negotiations continue.

[113] Jean Charest recognized the referendum's legitimacy, although a draft post-referendum speech had him interpreting a «Yes» vote as a call for drastic reform of Canadian federation instead of separation.

The Prime Minister is also the only one of the three main party leaders committed to giving the British people an in - out referendum on membership of a reformed EU, a Downing Street spokesman has said, as backbenchers urged David Cameron to adopt new veto powers.

Behind Europe, to be sure, but well ahead of such «Westminster bubble» issues as House of Lords reform, reform of local government, or even the referendum on Scottish independence.

David Cameron is addressing criticisms his EU referendum plans are creating uncertainty this week, as he takes the case for reform to European capitals.

Crucially, the ComRes poll also found that among divided Labour supporters - who could decide the referendum as the Liberal Democrats are united for AV, while the Conservatives want to keep first - past - the - post - 61 % would vote against reform.

Unfortunately, Gordon Brown's miserable announcement on electoral reform (a referendum on the non-proportional AV system, after the next election, which presumably will be canned as soon as the Tories take office) had served to puncture everyone's enthusiasm, and apparently fill the room with a mixture of disappointment and fury.

Thankfully we don't have to fight a referendum on Lords reform as all parties committed to it in their manifestos.

Low turnout is feared in the impending EU referendum, as the public is ill - informed about the consequences, according to the Electoral Reform Society.

Campaigners for electoral reform are being accused of airbrushing out a black poet from their literature, as the debate over the referendum becomes increasingly heated.

These referendum campaigns are not sideshows, as the lingering bitterness the coalition's junior partners feel about the way they were treated by the Tories in the electoral reform fiasco shows.

And we're achieving it through political reform — as with the new Police and Crime Commissioners who will be elected in November, and the new executive mayors in our great cities, following what I hope will be the positive referendums in May.

The parties will bring forward a Referendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constReferendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constreferendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constituencies.

If the government won't call a general election, let us have this referendum in early September, as the culmination of 100 days of reform.

«We will bring forward a Referendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constReferendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constreferendum, as well as for the creation of fewer and more equal sized constituencies.

He said: «Every political party went into the election with a pledge to reform the House of Lords so I do not personally see a referendum as having much to recommend it.»

Our Conservative colleagues are happy with constitutional reform so long as it is about police commissioners, redrawing constituency boundaries, referendums for mayors, or voter registration.

The announcement will be seen by some as a personal blow to the authority of Clegg, who has already seen the party's cherished hopes of voting reform defeated in last year's referendum, while he has asked his MPs to vote for bills deeply unpopular with Lib Dem supporters, including higher university tuition fees and the NHS shakeup.

It is regrettable that electoral reform is now quite widely viewed as a self - interested LibDem hobby - horse and it seems likely that a second referendum, whether on AV or PR, would also deliver a «no».

A distinction can also be made between the moderate scope of the Coaliton's planned reforms, and the fundamental scope of the reforms pledged as a knee - jerk response to the inadequately anticipated consequences of the Scottish independence referendum.

But while some reforms, including open primaries, recall votes, and local referendums, have gained currency in Conservative circles — and I am a big supporter of Douglas Carswell and Dan Hannan as two of the greatest thinkers in our party for putting these ideas forward — there is still a fear that the Alternative Vote will benefit the left - leaning parties.

Labour's Jack Straw, who served as both home secretary and justice secretary and attempted his own reforms of the Lords when in government, urged the prime minister to consider calling a pre-legislative referendum to avoid a «trainwreck» to Commons business in light of the fact that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were «divided on this issue».

The former Liberal Democrat leader launched a stinging rebuke of the prime minister, as the referendum on the alternative vote (AV) is expected to result in a defeat for voting reform.

Mr Cameron said a Tory government would introduce true reforms such as referendums on council tax increases and the «right of initiative» - allowing voters to propose new laws.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is likely to announce 5 May 2011 as the date for a referendum on voting reform that could pave the way for the introduction of the alternative voting (AV) system.

Lib - Lab coalition For all the differences that Labour and the Liberal Democrats might claim during debates and on the campaign trail, it seems probable that a deal to put AV + to a referendum as part of wider constitutional reform would be one of the first measures of a Lib - Lab coalition.

A number of years ago they sought to use Carl McCall's candidacy as the referendum on campaign finance reform — at a time when nationally he was the most glaring example of the Pay to Play abuse of raising funds from groups doing business with your office (e.g., State Comptroller)

Nick Clegg is to take personal charge of a massive programme of constitutional renewal, including a referendum bill on electoral reform passed by summer 2011, in what the prime minister, David Cameron, described yesterday as a Liberal - Conservative government that marks a «historic and seismic shift» in British politics.

And if the Lib Dems are the only party that could offer the Tories the chance to control a majority of seats, then the leak will be quickly forgotten — just as the Conservatives» sharp tactics during the AV referendum and House of Lords reform will be, and indeed have been.

The process that culminated in the 2011 referendum not only saw a significant amount of institutions sprout and bloom as major actors in favour of electoral reform, but also served as a course of education for voters unfamiliar with alternative methods of voting.

The referendum was lost but at that point the Lib Dems could still point to House of Lords reform as a sign that their constitutional reforming zeal was far from being finished.

And every comment by senior Cabinet ministers saying they would be happy or relaxed to see us walk out, and every hint that a referendum could happen as early as next year - before any meaningful reform agenda could be achieved - only adds to the uncertainty and risk for British businesses.

A negative result in the AV referendum would be presented in the media as an out - right rejection of all forms of electoral reform.

As further evidence of his commitment, Gordon Brown was offering them electoral reform without even the need for a referendum.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers» constitutional reforms have been criticised from the start, as the Fixed Term Parliament Act deliberately linked the establishment of a five - year electoral cycle with the mechanics setting up the 2011 electoral reform referendum.

The protest outside the Lib Dem meeting played an important role in putting voting reform squarely on the agenda, ensuring we have a referendum on the voting system, rather than just an investigative «commission» as the Conservatives were initially offering.

As for the referendum on electoral reform held in this parliament, it resolves nothing.

Mr Brown has proved open to reform of the system in the past, with proposals in February to call a referendum on introducing alternative vote (AV) as a means of choosing MPs.

«This [race] is definitely being watched nationally as a referendum on reform,» Mike Petrilli, the executive vice president of the right - leaning Fordham Institute and Bennett ally, told the Associated Press.

Whether voters saw the race as a referendum on education reform or a vote of confidence in an incumbent, Torlakson will remain the primary voice on education in California for another four years.

BOISE — Idaho state schools chief Tom Luna opened the deliberations of a 39 - member task force Monday that'll help determine how to implement big new school technology investments, even as the Idaho Secretary of State's office issued certificates officially placing three referendums on the November 2012 ballot to overturn the reforms.