High noon in Shrewsbury

High Noon in Shrewsbury - local Labour and Lib Dem candidates unite in the cause of reform.

On Thursday 25th March, members of the Power2010 Midlands campaign went to Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, to talk to local voters about the urgent need for democratic reform and the track record of their current MP, Daniel Kawczynski.

Kawczynski's record show's he has been a consistent roadblock to reform.

From supporting an all-appointed Lords, the bedrock of Westminster cronyism, to championing the antiquated electoral system and voted against greater transparency on MPs' financial interests.*

This is no way to restore public faith in a broken system.

So it was time the Power2010 Sheriff and his Deputy paid a little visit to this outlaw of reform. Despite the random glances from surprised locals and the self-imposed embarrassment of faux-leather chaps, the day was a great success.

The Labour PPC Jon Tandy and Liberal Democrat PPC Charles West joined forces to send a message to constituents that the time had come for real action on democratic reform. The both took the pledge and spent time talking to local voters about why democratic reform is necessary.

Charles, a local GP, said he took the Power Pledge because politics had to become ‘fairer' and that ‘we really do need to clean up politics, this is an opportunity to do that'. Jon, a local councilor, said ‘I want to clean up politics for the simple reason that there's been too much scandal'.

Both candidates committed to push for democratic reform and to be honest and engaging with voters, if elected.

Kawczynski has a majority of only 1,808 votes. The campaign dropped 15,000 leaflets in Shrewsbury, highlighting his poor track record on democratic reform. If only 12% of these constituents decide that they want to see the urgent reforms that we need in Parliament put into action, then that majority goes down to 0.

In response to our presence in the town, Kawczynski told the BBC that our campaign did not focus on the ‘issues that matter to people like housing and pensions'. Seeing as how this is a campaign for democratic reform it is unlikely that it will focus on either housing or pensions. It is, however, a campaign that asked the public what they wanted to see change with our politics.

The public chose an elected Lords, a fairer voting system and a more transparent Parliament. The public has said what matters most to them, and distracting from the issue will not change the fact that these are three things Mr. Kawczynski stands against.As long as he does, we will stand against him.

Ciaran is POWER2010's Midlands Campaigner 

* CORRECTION: We originally referred to Mr Kawczynski voting to keep "expenses" secret - whereas it was in fact transparency of MPs' financial interests he voted against. See Public Whip.