Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform (LCER)

is a network of Labour Party members and supporters who campaign within the party for the introduction of fairer voting systems and to move democracy up the party's agenda. LCER also works closely with the cross-party umbrella group Make Votes Count and the Electoral Reform Society .

Labour is committed to letting the people decide how we vote for members of parliament. Labour's 1997 general election manifesto said: "We are committed to a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons". LCER exists to help you become involved in and influence that decision.

LCER Executive

LCER is run by a twelve member Executive, elected at the organisation's AGM, plus five co-optees.

The current LCER Executive (2004-5) comprises:

Chair: Anne Campbell
Vice Chairs: Kevin Brennan , Richard Burden and Austin Mitchell
Treasurer: Steve Roberts
Parliamentary & Political Officer: Mary Southcott
Youth & Student Officer: Emma Jones

Other Executive members: Fabian Breckels, Victoria Brignell, Martin Green, Mary Honeyball MEP, Susan Jones, Andrew Manning, Vic Parks, Mike Roberts, Virendra Sharma and Willie Sullivan.

In addition, a part-time Adminstrative Coordinator, Malcolm Clark, is employed to support the work of the Executive.

LCER AGM

The organisation traditionally holds its AGM in July each year.

The next AGM will be held on Wednesday 6 July 2005 at 6.30pm in the House of Commons, Westminster. Further details are available here.

AGM 2004 Report

Meeting on the windiest day of the summer, 7 July, causing railway havoc, LCER members rehearsed the arguments of a principled compromise on Alternative Vote with Peter Hain, Lords Jeff Rooker and Richard Rosser, with Anne Campbell in the Chair. There was a good discussion with two members of the Plant Commission, now in the House of Lords, who aired their reservations about AV. Jeff Rooker urged LCER to “stick to your guns” and not settle for the seductive offer of AV. Richard Rosser felt that the additional member system was preferable to AV especially in the light of the experience of other systems and the clear need to limit highly partisan governments in the future. Martin Linton proposed the motion and urged pragmatism in the light of the views, post Jenkins, of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Steve Roberts seconded the motion. Mary Southcott felt that the referendum on electoral reform need not apply if there were no boundary chances only alterations to the ballot paper. The LCER amendment was passed to express the opinion that LCER still supports a more proportional system but would, in the case of AV being proposed, not be obstructive.

A full report and Minutes of the AGM is available here.
Peter Hain’s arguments can be found on the Make Votes Count website.