Elections: AV Referendum and Scottish Parliament

Lord Grocott Excerpts

Tuesday 20th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Tankerness]

No, I do not think that it should. Indeed, I make no secret of the fact that there is a combination of polls in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and many parts of England where there are local elections. One of the advantages will be increased turnouts for both the respective elections and the referendum. It will be up to the respective yes or no campaigns in places where there are no other elections to try to ensure that there is a good turnout for a referendum on a very important issue facing the country—how its elected House should be elected. It is an issue on which the noble Lord’s party brought forward legislation when it was in government. I look forward to receiving its support when we debate these matters when the Bill comes to this House.

[Lord Grocott]

Further to the answer that he has just given, does the noble and learned Lord not recall, as I do, that for years and years the Deputy Prime Minister and others have been assuring us that the British public are desperate to get rid of the first past the post system and will queue at the polling stations at the first opportunity to do so? Now we are being told that it is essential that we have the referendum on the same day as some other elections because it is the only way that you can guarantee that anyone at all will be bothered to turn out. Who is right?