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AV - The System Nobody Wants/Local Seats for Local People

Policy Exchange yesterday publishes two new research notes on the Alternative Vote and proposed changes to constituency boundaries.

The author of Local Seats for Local People, Dr Robert McIlveen, finds that proposed reforms of constituencies should go further, deeper and faster. He calls for the boundary review to be depoliticised, making it harder for the political parties to influence proceedings. The note also calls for public representations to be limited to a 30-day window, instead of the current 12-week period. Dr McIlveen also recommends that Wales and Northern Ireland be brought into line with England and Scotland on the number of voters-per-seat.

The latest boundary review took seven years, whereas in New Zealand and Australia the process took six months.  Dr McIlveen says the review process should be cut down to one year. By using ONS projections, it would be possible for future polls to be fought on the basis of current populations – not populations up to a decade out of date. It would then be possible for boundaries to be decided freshly for every general election – making each review less radical and allowing more time for parties and local authorities to adjust. The maximum geographic size for constituencies should also be removed.

See more at http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/assets/AV-Boundaries__Press_Release.pdf

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