Ed Miliband’s speech to cross-party Yes launch event
It’s a pleasure to be here at this cross-party Yes2AV campaign event having launched the Labour Yes To AV campaign.
The support of people from different parties is essential for the yes campaign, but the important thing is why we’ve all decided to put aside our differences to back this cause.
We’re here because a Yes vote on May the Fifth will be good for voters and good for our democracy.
The case for AV is a case for political change.
If people are happy with politics as usual, then they can vote NO.
But if not, they should vote Yes because AV is a step in the right direction for changing politics as usual.
First, AV will make more votes count.
There is no perfect electoral system, but AV retains the constituency link while making more people’s choices matter.
I want Labour campaigning on every street, in every community.
I want to win the support of everyone we can – from Brighton to Skye.
But I don’t want our voters to be ignored if we fall short in an area.
Nor do I want the votes of other parties to be ignored when the person they voted for ended up third.
AV would let people be honest about their first choice and still have a say in who wins.
More people’s votes would help decide the winner, so more votes would count.
Second, AV will encourage parties to reach out to a wider electorate so more voices will be heard.
Because when more votes count, politicians must count on more voters.
To secure a majority of votes locally, candidates will need to knock on more doors, make more phone calls and listen more carefully to those who disagree.
So yes, reform will put pressure on political parties to campaign, to reach out to more voters
Yes, it’ll make our life more difficult.
But we should welcome that pressure as a part of building a stronger, healthier politics.
The rules of politics shouldn’t be designed to suit politicians.
They should exist to suit the electorate.
AV makes it easier to hold politicians to account, puts pressure on candidates to campaign, and makes it essential to get the support of more people locally.
Third, AV will help to change the culture of our politics.
The people on this platform from different parties disagree on many things.
We have different views, passionately held.
But AV would encourage us to build bridges, not barriers, between parties so that we can persuade more voters of our case.
I believe today’s political culture, which only encourages division, profoundly damages belief in politics.
Nowhere has this been more true than among the progressive forces in Britain.
I have spoken before about the progressive majority.
The tragedy for progressive politics in Britain has been that division on the centre and left has handed a united right victory after victory.
For most of the last eighty years, there has been one Conservative Party but several competing for progressive votes.
No wonder the Tories back the current system.
They know Britain is not a fundamentally Conservative country.
But with First Past the Post, they are more likely to govern whenever progressive forces are divided.
This Tory led government and its current alliance of power with the Liberal Democrats does not change my belief that there is a progressive majority in this country.
Britain deserves an electoral system that fairly reflects voters’ views.
I will be campaigning for a majority Labour government at the next election whatever voting system we have.
But AV would encourage parties to reach out and better reflect the majority of opinion.
Let me say one final thing: we have elections on 5th May in most parts of this country, and we have this referendum.
People have talked about the implications of a YES vote for David Cameron or a NO vote for Nick Clegg.
I urge people to look beyond particular individuals, and vote in the national interest.
This is a chance to change politics as usual.
We should seize it.
We should vote Yes to AV on May the Fifth
