Newsletter: March news and see you in York!

New Year, Renewed Fight

LDER members are creating an updated reform campaign pack for 2016's elections. We will connect how we vote to the quality of Governments and local Councils we get. Our pack will set the need for reform in the 2015-2020 context, underscore what a fair system would mean for individual voters and provide campaigning material. Send us any ideas you have on this - or chat with us at the York Conference.

See you in York

LDER is on stall 5 of the exhibition at York Conference, so come and see us there.

Fringe meeting dates for your diary:

1-2pm, Saturday March 12: Pro-PR cross-party alliance meeting.

What are the prospects for a cross-party electoral reform pact at the 2020 election? LDER exec member Denis Mollison is speaking. Venue: Hilton Hotel; Micklegate Room

Also, our allies, the Electoral Reform Society, have a fringe meeting:

6-15-7.15pm, Saturday March 12: Paths to Democratic Renewal.

As well as speakers, the Society will present findings from two (Southampton and Sheffield) recently held Citizens Assemblies. Venue: Novotel Hotel; Riverside Room

16-year-olds enfranchised - we tried (part 2)

Early contender for Liberal Democrat peer of the year must be John Shipley, who tabled an amendment to the Cities and Local Government bill, which would have enabled 16-year-olds to vote in local elections. Sadly and revealingly, the amendment fell because Labour Lords failed to back us. It shows that Jeremy Corbyn's brave 'new politics' is only spin-deep; given the chance to support change, Labour's tribalist, command-and-control traditions shine through bright as ever. As we said last time, further democratizing the franchise is also a crucial progressive steps towards fairer, representative elections. Shame Labour doesn't see it that way.