SATURDAY 2PM: TAKE BACK PARLIAMENT RALLY IN PARLIAMENT SQUARE DEMANDING FAIR VOTES NOW

THURSDAY 13 MAY 2010: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This Saturday there will be a rally in Parliament Square - one of around 30 rallies nationwide - demanding "fair votes and a fair choice", and saying AV is simply not enough. Billy Bragg, George Monbiot, Jean Lambert MEP and others will address the crowd.

Take Back Parliament (www.TakeBackParliament.com) - the coalition which had thousands taking to the streets last Saturday in purple, forcing Nick Clegg to come out and address a crowd of protesters - are helping to organise the events.

Parallel rallies are springing up across the country, organised by citizens furious that there will be no referendum on PR - over 30 rallies have been planned so far using the TakeBackParliament.com website to self-organise. The main London rally will take place on Saturday 15th at 2pm in Parliament Square.

Demonstrators are asked to wear purple - the colour of the suffragettes - to continue the fight for fairer representation.

The new government says there will be a referendum on AV. Take Back Parliament welcome this as a small step in the right direction, but demand that much more be done.

Pam Giddy, from the Take Back Parliament coalition, said: "Thousands of us are taking to the streets to demand fair votes in the biggest pro- democracy mobilisation since the suffragettes.

"Don't be fooled - AV is a small step in the right direction but it's not the same as fair votes. Whilst we welcome the fact reform of our out-dated voting system is being discussed, we are demanding "fair votes, fair choice".

"We need a fair voting system that ties the number of seats held by a party in Parliament to the share of votes it receives. The new government likes to talk about a "new politics" so let them prove it by offering a fair, proportional option in the planned referendum on the voting system. Fair votes, fair choice."

www.takebackparliament.com

END

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amanda Hughes on 07795410527 or amanda@power2010.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. AV allows voters to rank candidates and helps reduce the need to vote tactically, but crucially it is not proportional; it would still produce a mismatch between the share of votes received by a party and its share of seats in Parliament.

2. Members of the Take Back Parliament coalition include:

POWER2010

Unlock Democracy

The New Economics Foundation

Vote for a Change

Greenpeace

The Electoral Reform Society

Open Democracy

Ekklesia

Compass

Democracy Matters

The Fawcett Society

Operation Black Vote

Friends of the Earth

NUS

The World Development Movement

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For immediate release at 10.45pm, Thursday 6th May

TAKE BACK PARLIAMENT MOVEMENT LAUNCHES WITH DEMAND FOR A FAIRER VOTING SYSTEM IN THE UK

COALITION WARNS 7 IN 10 VOTES WILL NOT COUNT IN GENERAL ELECTION; RESULT SET TO BE "MOST UNEQUAL EVER"

Take Back Parliament (http://www.TakeBackParliament.com; #takeitback), a new movement demanding a fairer voting system in the UK launches tonight. A coalition has formed in response to the fact that as many as 22 million votes cast in today's General Election - seven in ten - will have been wasted. TakeBackParliament.com goes live at 10 PM BST, once the polls close.

On Saturday, May 8 at 2:00 PM, Take Back Parliament will host a rally in Trafalgar Square for supporters of the movement. Similar rallies are also planned this weekend in Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Bristol, Oxford and Middlesbrough. Individuals can sign up for these rallies plus sign a petition demanding fair voting at TakeBackParliament.com.

The Take Back Parliament coalition - including POWER2010, the Electoral Reform Society, Unlock Democracy, Fawcett Society, Ekklesia and more - formed this week. The coalition claims that the result of the General Election is set to be the most unequal ever held due to the high expected turnout and the First Past the Post voting system, leaving many millions of voters with no representation in Parliament.

Purple is the official color of Take Back Parliament and a purple index finger is the symbol of the movement, representing the pride one feels in having voted. The movement surrounds the electoral system's failure to respect this vote.

 For more information on how people can get involved, use purple to show their support, plan events, visit http://www.TakeBackParliament.com; on Twitter: #takeitback; and on Facebook: http://www.takebackparliament.com/facebook.

The Take Back Parliament coalition argues that the majority of votes cast under First Past the Post are wasted in two ways:

* Votes over and above those required to give the winning candidate victory
* Votes cast for a losing candidate having no influence on representation in Parliament.

One of the leading members of the Take Back Parliament coalition, Pam Giddy of POWER2010, said tonight:

"This Election is set to be the most unequal ever held. Despite Parties being closer than ever in terms of vote share, it will not be reflected in the seats gained in Parliament.

"This cannot be called a ‘General' Election when most votes don't count. We're calling for change - and fast - because faith in politics, Parliament and our MPs will continue falling through the floor unless people's votes matter."

E n d s

For more information, contact Melissa Milner on 07976 636 228 or Jim Minton 07837 240234 or Daniel Harris on 07989 309058.

People available for interview include: POWER2010 Director, Pam Giddy; Peter Facey, Director of Unlock Democracy; London POWER2010 campaigner, Annie Quick; and John Bartley from Ekklesia.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Take Back Parliament says the 2010 General Election may produce even more unequal outcomes than in 2005. Last month the Electoral Reform Society said that the Election was already over in nearly 400 - "super safe" seats. This means that for over 25 million people who live in safe seats the contest is already over.

In 2005, the two main Parties spent two thirds of their campaign resources targeting the 850,000 swing voters in marginal seats - just 2%of the electorate. This gives the impression to 49 out of 50 voters that their vote makes no difference.

* In 2005 Labour won 92 more seats than the Conservatives in England - but polled just over 50,000 fewer votes
* For every million people that voted Labour in 2005, they secured 37 MPs
* For every million Conservative votes, they secured 22
* For every million Liberal Democrat votes, they secured 10 MPs.

Statistics in this release come from the Electoral Reform Society and Democratic Audit.

Members of the Take Back Parliament coalition include:

POWER2010

Unlock Democracy

The New Economics Foundation

Hang 'Em

Vote for a Change

Greenpeace

The Electoral Reform Society

Open Democracy

Ekklesia

Compass

Democracy Matters

The Fawcett Society

Operation Black Vote

Friends of the Earth

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VOTERS IN MARGINALS URGED TO 'BACK REFORMERS' AS OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM SHOWS SIGNS OF BREAKING

30 APRIL 2010 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

* Nationwide Billboard campaign depicting the 'donkeys' of old politics highlights unfair electoral system
* Voters in marginals urged to support reforming candidates in massive 600,000 leaflet drop
* Co-ordinated actions in safe seats across the country to 'congratulate' candidates in advance

Days before one of the closest elections in a generation, democracy campaign Power2010 makes an unprecedented intervention in support of a hung Parliament and urging people to vote for reform, as our creaking electoral system comes under fire like never before.

There is particular urgency now - because thanks to First Past the Post, Gordon Brown may well remain Prime Minister after May 6th even if his Party comes third on the number of votes cast. Last time, FPTP handed power to a party for which only one in five people voted.

Power2010 - which is not aligned to any Party - is dropping 600,000 leaflets urging voters to consider their candidates' positions on the crucial issue of electoral reform before casting their vote.

In a nod to wartime posters, voters are urged to 'KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON' and not panic at the prospect of a hung Parliament - which may be just what we need if it delivers electoral reform.

Meanwhile, a cheeky billboard campaign depicting the 'donkeys' of the old politics highlights safe seats - another effect of First Past the Post - where it is said that a donkey wearing the right colour rosette would be elected.

In some of the safest seats, where most votes cast are especially worthless, activists are visting the candidate assured of a victory with champagne, party poppers and ballons to 'congratulate' them in advance.

Power2010 director, Pam Giddy, said:

"Electoral reform is the single most important issue right now, and crucial to re-engaging a generation. Last time, less than half of 18-24 year olds bothered to vote - no wonder, when they know that so many votes cast are worthless. But this time your vote can change things - if you back a reforming candidate.

"Our current system serves the entrenched interests of a political duopoly, and protects the political establishment so terribly discredited by the last Parliament. We desperately need political reform - and electoral reform is most crucial of all.

"That's why we are urging voters to think carefully - and vote for the candidate most likely to deliver change on the most important issue this election."


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT AMANDA HUGHES ON 07795410527 or amanda@power2010.org.uk

Notes for Editors:

1.Power2010 is not supporting any Party - believing electoral reform is so important that voters should support whichever contender best recognises the need for fairer votes. And they are making it easy to find out - Power2010 has been asking every candidate to pledge their support for proportional representation, and is making the responses available online.

2.Only the Conservatives are officially against fairer votes - instead, they defend First-Past-The-Post. Sadly, it seems there are no Tory rebels on this issue - not a single Conservative candidate pledged support for fairer votes when we asked them to do so.

3.POWER2010 is a grassroots campaign for political reform, launched against a background of widespread political alienation. We asked voters across the country what needs changing the most to restore public trust in politics after the expenses crisis.

After more than 4,500 submissions and over 100,000 votes, the 'Power Pledge' was decided - the five ideas which now form the centrepiece of our campaign at the General Election.

The top 5 ideas chosen by the public were:

1. Introduce a proportional voting system (fair votes)

2. Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state (respect our privacy)

3. A fully elected second chamber (no more cronies in the Lords)

4. English Votes on English Laws (An equal deal on devolution for all nations)

5. Draw up a Written Constitution (protect the people's rights)

Members of the Public can join the campaign to fix politics by supporting the pledge and contacting their candidates about it at www.power2010.org.uk

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NEW VOTERS, NEW POLITICS: HILARY BENN AND SIMON HUGHES GO AFTER YOUTH VOTES IN UNIQUE EVENT 

 500 FIRST-TIME VOTERS QUIZ THE PARTIES ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM - Model Houses of Parliament, London, Tuesday April 27th

On Tuesday senior politicians from Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and the Greens will try to capture the all-important youth vote in a unique event held in a model House of Commons.

The event brings together 500 new voters days away from the general election to discuss the issues that matter to them with senior political figures - but in a way that represents the new, participatory politics young people want to see. Each young person will have a red and a green card with which they can share their opinions on what they're hearing in real time. The chair will use this as a prompt to investigate topics further.

The event is being held by a coalition of 15 organisations including Amnesty International, Medsin, the NUS, Fairtrade Foundation and the Howard League, co-ordinated by democracy group Power2010.

Speaking will be: Hilary Benn (Environment Minister), Simon Hughes (Lib Dem Shadow Ministers for Energy and Climate Change), James Brokenshire, (Conservative Shadow Home Office Minister), and Darren Johnson (Green Party spokesperson on Trade and Industry and Chair of the Greater London Assembly).

The debate will centre on five themes - trust in politics, global health, human rights, corporate responsibility and international conflict.

Details: April 27th in the Oasis Centre, SE1 7HS. The debate begins at 7p.m.

For more information contact George Gabriel on 07969151841 or george@power2010.org.uk

or Amanda Hughes on 07795410527 or amanda@power2010.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. New Voters, New Politics is being organised by: Aegis Students, Amnesty International, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Charities Parliament, the Fairtrade Foundation, Faithworks, the Howard League for Penal Reform, Medsin, Network of Christian Peace Organisations (NCPO), People and Planet, Power2010, Student Action for Refugees, Student Hubs, Student Stop Aids Campaign, Students Supporting Street Kids, War on Want.

2. More information can be found at http://www.power2010.org.uk/blog/entry/new-voters-new-politics-april-27th/

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7 OUT OF TEN BACK ENGLISH PARLIAMENT AS POWER2010 PROJECTS ‘HOME RULE’ ONTO WESTMINSTER

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 00.01 HOURS FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010

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MPs NOW TRUSTED LESS THAN ESTATE AGENTS AND HEADS OF BIG BUSINESS 

Conservatives more trusted than Labour on cleaning up politics, poll finds 

EMBARGOED FOR 00:01 MONDAY 19 APRIL  

An ICM poll commissioned by democracy group POWER2010 has found that the public now trust MPs less than estate agents and people who run large companies.  Only 25% trust 'MPs in general' to tell the truth (and less than half - 46% - trust their own local MP).  Even fewer - 22% - now trust government ministers to tell the truth.   

This is significantly lower than the levels of trust for other professionals, including: family doctors (96%), teachers (88%), local beat officers (84%), senior police officers (74%), people who run large companies (37%), and estate agents (30%). 

The same poll also found: 

Almost two-thirds agree Britain’s system of government needs to be improved 'quite a lot' or 'a great deal'.  Only 3% agree that it works 'extremely well and could not be improved'.  
 

96% believe it is important that the next government clean up politics and reform our democracy. 
 

Three-quarters (75%) say that the parties' different positions on democratic reform will affect how they vote, including 44% who say it will affect their voting choice 'a lot'. 
 

Of the three main parties, 22% trust Labour most to clean up politics - marginally less than the 23% who trust the LibDems and Conservatives.  
 

POWER2010 director Pam Giddy said:  

“These findings show that democratic reform is now very important to voters. After all the scandals of the past few years, people are fed up with the corruption of the last rotten Parliament and desperate for change – and they are prepared to back this up in the polling booth. The parties’ proposals for democratic reform will be a central part of this election. 

“Some may be surprised that the Conservatives are now trusted more than Labour on democratic reform and cleaning up parliament.  But after 13 years of promising far-reaching reform, but all too often failing to deliver, many people no longer believe Labour is capable of creating a new politics.”  

For more information or to request the polling data contact Amanda Hughes on amanda@power2010.org.uk or 07795410527.  
 

NOTES FOR EDITORS: 

1. The poll of over 1,000 adults was conduced by ICM between April 14 and April 15. 

2. The POWER2010 campaign, launched in response to historic levels of political distrust and alienation, is not aligned to any political party.   

3. POWER2010 aims to renew Britain’s broken politics from the bottom up. After more than 4,500 submissions and 100,000 votes, the POWER Pledge was decided – a call for five reforms to clean up and reform British politics. They now form the backbone of the POWER2010 campaign.  

4. The POWER Pledge is:  

- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution. 

Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals – at least three – at www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too. That way, whoever ends up in Parliament will be accountable on delivering the change we need.   

More information is available from the Power2010 website. www.power2010.org.uk 

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JOHN PRESCOTT AND ANN WIDDECOMBE AMONGST EX-MPS IN LINE FOR PEERAGES LAMPOONED BY DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Days ahead of Gordon Brown's expected announcement of new appointments to the House of Lords, democracy activists dressed as Lords and wearing masks of MPs rumoured to be in line for peerages, were turned away from Parliament as they tried to take their seats.

Under the rallying cry NO MORE LORDS, Power2010 is calling for an immediate freeze on all appointments to the Lords - saying it should be up to voters, not party leaders, to decide who sits in Parliament.

Arriving to collect their peerages were ‘Ann Widdecombe', ‘Michael Howard', 'John Prescott' (in boxing gloves), ‘Ruth Kelly', ‘John Reid', ‘Des Browne' and ‘Douglas Hogg' (holding a rubber duck) led by ‘Lord Mandelson' and ‘Lord Aschcroft' (holding a bag of money).

The democracy group is appalled that Gordon Brown is set to announce a new list of cronies for the Lords whilst at the same time parading Labour's manifesto commitment to reform.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives are being bankrolled by a non-dom with a peerage, and the Lib Dems insist they are serious about Lords reform despite having more unelected than elected legislators in Parliament.

After being refused entry to the Lords, Prescott, Howard, Widdecombe and company split into three groups to deliver a 7000-strong petition to the all three party headquarters, calling on Mr Brown, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg to appoint NO MORE LORDS.

Power2010 wants to see a fully elected second chamber - no hereditary peers, no appointed peers and no Bishops.

It claims that the system of appointments to the House of Lords is one of the principal sources of corruption in British politics.

Power2010 director, Pam Giddy, said:

"We went to the Lords today to send a strong message to the parties ahead of the election that the public won't accept ex-MPs taking the unelected route back into Parliament. If these MPs want to stay in Parliament they should stand for election along with the other candidates.

Ann Widdecombe said:
"I really don't know why they are picking on me. I find it quite embarrassing. This is just silly business and they obviously don't know what they are talking about.
There hasn't even been an indication that I will be asked. That is absolutely entirely up to David Cameron, but if I was invited I would say yes. It's perfectly democratic to have lords. What is the point in letting that experience go to waste?"
Michael Howard said:
"I am in favour of an elected House of Lords and it was part of my manifesto at the last election. But since we don't have an elected House of Lords, I can't see any justification for freezing appointments to the present House."

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT AMANDA HUGHES on 07795410527 or 02078066238 or amanda@power2010.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1.The No More Lords campaign was launched in response to the recent lobbygate scandal involving former ministers Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt and Sir John Butterfill - an MP on record as saying a place in the Lords would help his career as a corporate lobbyist.
2. The Power2010 campaign is not aligned to any political party. Funded by the Rowntree Trusts, it will be the biggest third party campaign at the next election.
3. Power2010 was conceived as a campaign to renew a broken politics from the bottom up. After more than 4,500 submissions and 100,000 votes, the POWER Pledge was decided - a call for the five reforms to clean up British politics most desired by the public. They now form the backbone of the Power2010 campaign.
4. The POWER Pledge - a call for the five proposals which received the most votes - is:
- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution.
Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals - at least three - at www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too. That way, whoever ends up in Parliament will be accountable on delivering the change we need.
More information is available from the Power2010 website. www.power2010.org.uk

END

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DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGN'S SPOOF LORDS ARRIVE TO TAKE THEIR SEATS

EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:00 12 APRIL

On Monday democracy activists dressed as Lords, and wearing masks of MPs rumoured to be in line for peerages, will try to take their seats in the House of Lords.

Arriving to collect their peerages will be ‘Ann Widdecombe', ‘Michael Howard', 'John Prescott', ‘Ruth Kelly', ‘John Reid', ‘Des Browne' and ‘Douglas Hogg' (holding a rubber duck) led by ‘Lord Mandelson' and ‘Lord Aschcroft' (holding a bag of money).

Under the rallying cry NO MORE LORDS, Power2010 is calling for an immediate freeze on all appointments to the Lords - saying it should be up to voters, not party leaders, to decide who sits in Parliament.

The democracy group is appalled that Gordon Brown is set to announce a new list of cronies for the Lords whilst at the same time parading Labour's manifesto commitment to reform. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are being bankrolled by a non-dom with a peerage, and the Lib Dems insist they are serious about Lords reform despite having more unelected than elected legislators in Parliament.

Before attempting to enter the Lords, the campaigners will deliver a 7000-strong petition to the all three party headquarters, calling on Mr Brown, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg to appoint NO MORE LORDS.

Power2010 wants to see a fully elected second chamber - no hereditary peers, no appointed peers and no Bishops. It claims that the system of appointments to the House of Lords is one of the principal sources of corruption in British politics.

This week the group is visiting the constituencies of MPs likely to receive dissolution honours: Ruth Kelly in Bolton, Ann Widdecombe and Michael Howard in Kent, Des Browne and John Reid in Scotland and John Prescott in Kingston-upon-Hull.

Dressed in Lords' robes and wearing Mandelson or Ashcroft masks, they are delivering the petition signed by thousands of supporters to each constituency office - and asking the MP to reject an unelected, undemocratic position as a peer if offered one.
Power2010 director, Pam Giddy, said:

"They may well have been good MPs, but it can't be right that they should get automatic places in Parliament without having to ask voters for their support. If they want to stay in Parliament let them stand for election along with the other candidates.

"There should be no place for Lords in a modern democracy. There is no better way to begin the reform we so desperately need than by halting new appointments."

PHOTOCALL:

14:00, HOUSE OF LORDS, PARLIAMENT SQUARE. ST. STEPHEN'S ENTRANCE

For more information contact Amanda Hughes on 020 7806 6238 or 07795410527

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1.The No More Lords campaign was launched in response to the recent lobbygate scandal involving former ministers Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt and Sir John Butterfill - an MP on record as saying a place in the Lords would help his career as a corporate lobbyist.
2. The Power2010 campaign is not aligned to any political party. Funded by the Rowntree Trusts, it will be the biggest third party campaign at the next election.
3. Power2010 was conceived as a campaign to renew a broken politics from the bottom up. After more than 4,500 submissions and 100,000 votes, the POWER Pledge was decided - a call for the five reforms to clean up British politics most desired by the public. They now form the backbone of the Power2010 campaign.
4. The POWER Pledge - a call for the five proposals which received the most votes - is:
- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution.
Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals - at least three - at www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too. That way, whoever ends up in Parliament will be accountable on delivering the change we need.
More information is available from the Power2010 website. www.power2010.org.uk

END

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TOP HYPOCRITES IN OUTGOING PARLIAMENT IDENTIFIED IN REPORT 

Embargoed until 00:01 Monday 12th April

18 MPs have been named and shamed in a report by democracy group Power2010 highlighting double standards in the way MPs' have voted and acted, in particular on issues of privacy and the sharing of personal information.

Out of nearly 650 MPs these 18 have been identified as Parliament's worst examples of politicians who practice ‘one rule for them and another for everyone else'. All of them are Labour MPs.

They were all among the group of MPs who voted to exempt Parliament from the Freedom of Information Act to keep their expenses claims secret. However, they also consistently failed to show the same concern for their constituents' privacy by:

Voting in favour of introducing ID cards, which collect and store 50 pieces of personal data on a vast and insecure central database

Backing the ContactPoint database that now documents all of our children; though enabling MPs to get their children "shielded" for the sake of their privacy

Supporting the retention of innocent people's DNA profile on the national DNA database

Power2010 director Pam Giddy, said:

"In recent years the public have been asked to submit to systems of data sharing and surveillance to which many MPs are not prepared to submit themselves. The expenses crisis showed that the public strongly objects to this ‘one rule for us, one rule for them' approach. Nothing could be more damaging to public trust in politics.

"That is why Power2010 is drawing attention to the double standards practiced by many MPs when it comes to privacy, transparency and the sharing of personal information and naming and shaming some of the worst offenders.

"Next month, voters have the chance to change Parliament for the better. They should seize it."

The report highlights many examples of hypocrisy that have received less attention, including:

Double standards when it comes to HMRC online filing and security - MPs are unable to file their tax returns online because they receive a higher level of security.

Support for a pay-as-you-throw bin tax, which could cost ordinary families up to £1,000 per year, but which MPs could claim as expenses.

Support for ContactPoint, a vast database storing information on every child under the age of 18 in England. The database raises serious privacy and security concerns, but these won't trouble MPs' who could "shield" their children's information.

The report identifies 18 MPs - all of them from the Labour Party and all of whom are standing for re-election - who exemplify the worst aspect of the last Parliament - that there is one rule for politicians and one rule for everybody else. They include Tony McNulty and Caroline Flint.

Power2010 is releasing the report in order to encourage a fairer and more responsible approach to the public's personal information in the next Parliament along with openness and transparency from MPs themselves.

For further information contact Amanda Hughes on 07795 410527 or 020 78066239, or at amanda@power2010.org.uk. The 'Parliament of Hypocrites' report is available on request.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The 18 MPs are: David Cairns; Alan Campbell; Parmjit Dhanda; Maria Eagle; Jim Fitzpatrick; Caroline Flint; Michael Foster (Worcester); Ivan Lewis; Steven McCabe; Tony McNulty; Meg Munn; James Plaskitt; Frank Roy; Gareth Thomas; Claire Ward; Dave Watts; Malcolm Wicks; and Phil Woolas.

2. The Power2010 campaign is not aligned to any political party.

3. Power2010 was conceived as a campaign to renew our broken politics from the bottom up. After more than 4,500 submissions and 100,000 votes, the POWER Pledge was decided - a call for the five reforms to clean up British politics most desired by the public. They now form the backbone of the Power2010 campaign.

4. The POWER Pledge - a call for the five proposals which received the most votes - is:

- Introduce a proportional voting system.

- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.

- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.

- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.

- Draw up a written constitution.

Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals - at least three - at
www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too.

More information is available from the Power2010 website.
www.power2010.org.uk

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NO MORE LORDING IT - NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES TO STOP MPS MOVING TO THE LORDS AFTER THE ELECTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A new campaign has been launched to stop MPs who are standing down at the election from moving to the House of Lords.

High profile MPs including John Prescott, Ruth Kelly, Ann Widdecombe, Michael Howard and James Purnell are retiring from the House of Commons at the coming election, and are rumoured to be in line for peerages.

But democracy group Power2010 is fiercely opposing their appointments - saying it should be up to voters, not party leaders, to decide who sits in Parliament.

In a few weeks' time the party leaders will announce a list of names to be appointed to the House of Lords, and these MPs are expected to be among them alongside other ex-MPs and former ministers.

Power2010 is calling on an immediate freeze on all appointments to the Lords under the rallying cry No More Lords.

The group wants to see a fully elected second chamber - no hereditary peers, no appointed peers and no Bishops.

It claims that the House of Lords, and its system of appointments, is one of the principal sources of corruption in British politics.

The campaign was launched in response to the recent lobbygate scandal involving former ministers Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon and Patiricia Hewitt and Sir John Butterfill - an MP on record as saying a place in the Lords would help his career as a corporate lobbyist.

Power2010 director, Pam Giddy, said:

"They may have been good MPs, but it can't be right that they should get automatic places in Parliament without having to go through the trouble of asking voters for their support. If they want to stay in Parliament, let them stand for election along with the other candidates.

"It is 2010 and we still have a Parliament in which the upper chamber is made up of appointed cronies, aristocrats who have inherited the right to rule, and 26 Bishops who sit in Parliament by right. It simply isn't credible for the parties to talk about cleaning up politics whilst continuing to appoint new Lords, many of whom will expect to live out their retirement in the chamber at the taxpayer's expense whilst blocking any kind of reform.

"There should be no place for Lords in a modern democracy. There is no better way to begin the reform we so desperately need than by halting new appointments."

This week Power2010 will challenge the three party leaders to prove they are serious about Lords reform by committing to making no new Lords appointments. We will be delivering the challenge as a letter to Mr Brown, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg co-signed by thousands of supporters.

Earlier this month, a Power2010 poll found that almost two-thirds of adults asked - 65% - thought it was important or very important that anyone sitting in the House of Lords is elected. The same week more than 60,000 emails were sent by Power2010 supporters to the Bishops in Parliament, asking them to support the call for an elected second chamber.

For more information contact Amanda Hughes on 0207 806 6238 or 07795410527

END

www.power2010.org.uk

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NATIONAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES TO OUST MPS ACCUSED OF 'FAILING DEMOCRACY'

EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 22 MARCH

Six MPs from the two main parties, including some of the worst expenses cheats, have been accused of "Failing our democracy" as democracy group Power2010 launches concerted campaigns in each of their constituencies to unseat them at the next election.

The six MPs named are:

• Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley
• Tom Harris, Labour MP for Glasgow South
• Daniel Kawczyinski, Conservative MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham
• Alun Michael, Labour MP for Cardiff South and Penarth
• David Heathcoat Amory, Conservative MP for Wells
• Tony McNulty, Labour MP for Harrow East

These MPs were among the many names suggested by Power2010 supporters, and all stand accused of blocking democratic reform or supporting attack on civil liberties.

Full page ads are being taken out in national and local media, and simultaneous actions are taking place across the country, with hundreds of thousands of leaflets being delivered to "swing" voters drawing attention to the MPs' record of opposing reform.

Pam Giddy, director of Power2010, said: "This is only the beginning. There are many more MPs who stand in the way of a reforming Parliament. Between now and the election they'll all be hearing from us."

The campaign follows action against Tony McNulty in Harrow East last week: a letter co-signed by over 3,000 members of the public was delivered to McNulty's constituency office; 15,000 leaflets were delivered to "swing" voters in his constituency; local campaigners plastered the town with western-style "Wanted: for crimes against democracy" posters, and a full-page "wanted" ad appeared in the local paper.

Pam Giddy said: "The days of this rotten Parliament are almost over. Voters are sick and tired of the sleazy top-down politics that has blighted Westminster for so long. Power2010 is making this nationwide effort to ensure we get a new politics and a reforming Parliament out of the next election.

"We're going to keep up the pressure and hold MPs to account for their records to make sure the people who want to represent us in Parliament take seriously the need for reform."

End.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Pam Giddy, please contact Amanda Hughes on 020 78066239 or 07795410527.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Why these MPs?

Alun Michael:
Cashed in on his expenses and had to repay thousands of pounds; strongly supports ID cards; opposes a fairer, proportional voting system; and voted for an all appointed House of Lords - meaning more appointed cronies and wealthy donors.

Daniel Kawczynski:
Voted against transparency on MPs' financial interests; opposes a fairer voting system which would mean every vote counts; and voted for an all appointed House of Lords.

David Heathcoat-Amory:
Cashed in on his expenses and had to repay thousands of pounds; voted for an all appointed House of Lords; and opposes a fairer voting system which would mean every vote counts.

Philip Davies:
Opposes a fairer voting system which would mean every vote counts; voted for an all appointed House of Lords; and backed measures which would threaten privacy and freedom.

Tom Harris:
Strongly supports ID cards; opposes a fairer voting system which would mean every vote counts; and voted for an all appointed House of Lords.

Tony McNulty:
Cashed in on his expenses and voted to keep MPs' claims secret; championed the unpopular ID cards scheme; opposes a fairer voting system; and opposes a democratic House of Lords.

2. Power2010 was conceived as a campaign to renew a broken politics from the bottom up. After more than 4,500 submissions and 100,000 votes, the POWER Pledge was decided - a call for the five reforms to clean up British politics most desired by the public. They now form the backbone of the Power2010 campaign.

3. The POWER Pledge - a call for the five proposals which receieved the most votes - is:
- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution.

Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals - at least three - at www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too. That way, whoever ends up in Parliament will be accountable on delivering the change we need.

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POWER2010'S CAMPAIGN TO UNSEAT ANTI-REFORM MPS BEGINS IN HARROW THIS WEEK. FIVE MORE 'BLOCKS ON REFORM', SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED, ARE IN OUR SIGHTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17 MARCH 2010

Democracy campaigners will descend on Harrow East tomorrow to highlight local MP Tony McNulty's dreadful record in Parliament. The disgraced former minister is being accused of blocking political reform, attacking civil liberties and voting against transparency in order to keep his own dodgy expenses claims secret.

Dressed as sheriffs, campaigners for Power2010 will plaster western-style "Wanted: for crimes against democracy" posters around the constituency they hope to unseat McNulty from at the next election.
15,000 leaflets are being delivered to "swing" voters in the constituency, full page "wanted" ads will be on show in the local papers, and an open letter co-signed by almost 3,000 people highlighting McNulty's opposition to a cleaner politics will be delivered to his constituency office.

The campaign in Harrow East is part of a nationwide effort to renew politics from the bottom up by highlighting the record of MPs who have poor records on democratic reform and civil liberties.
McNulty is the first in a series of MPs which Power2010 activists will target, and attempt to unseat, in the coming weeks.

Pam Giddy, director of Power2010, said: "The days of this rotten Parliament are well and truly over. This campaign in Harrow East is just the start of a nationwide effort to ensure we get the reforming Parliament our democracy so desperately needs after the next election.
Next week we will announce the names of five more MPs who can expect the same treatment as McNulty. We're going to keep up the pressure to make sure the people who want to represent us in Parliament take seriously the need for democratic change."
Abdul, a Harrow East voter, said: "It really is time for change. It's ridiculous that McNulty is standing even though he's made it clear through his abuse of expenses that he has no respect for voters and isn't interested in integrity. We need a real democracy where we can hold these politicians to account - but it's no wonder he's not interested in encouraging it."
Volunteers and local residents will be meeting at 11am outside St Anne's shopping centre next to Harrow on the Hill.
End.
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Pam Giddy, please contact Amanda Hughes on 020 78066239 or 07795410527.

NOTES:
1. Volunteers and local residents will be meeting at 11am outside St Anne's shopping centre next to Harrow on the Hill. For more information call Annie on 07816119393.
2. More than 100,000 votes were cast to decide the POWER Pledge, a set of five reforms to clean up and reform British politics that now form the backbone of the Power2010 campaign.
3. The POWER Pledge is:
- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution.
4. Voters are being asked to commit their support to a majority of the proposals - at least three - at www.power2010.org.uk/pledge and then challenge every candidate at the general election to support them too.

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NO MORE ‘LORDING IT': 65% OF PUBLIC CALL FOR A FULLY ELECTED LORDS

Poll commissioned by democracy group POWER2010 finds public want an elected House of Lords, as Labour plans sweeping reform.
EMBARGOED until 00.01 Monday 15 March

Two-thirds of the public believe that anyone who sits in the House of Lords and votes on laws should be elected, as plans for sweeping reform of the second chamber are being prepared by the Labour party.
The leak of these plans come as members of the public send over 50,000 emails to the "Lords Spiritual" (the 26 bishops who sit in the Lords as of right) in an unprecedented action calling on them to back POWER2010's call for an elected second chamber.

The ICM poll of more than 1,000 adults was commissioned by POWER2010, a major new campaign for democratic reform. It also found:
• 74% of respondents thought it was "wrong" for Church of England Bishops to automatically be given a seat in Parliament - including 70% of Christians. Only 21% agreed it was "right" for Bishops to have automatic seats in Parliament.

• 78% of those asked believed it was important or very important that Cabinet Ministers are directly answerable to MPs in the House of Commons.

Currently 26 ‘Lords Spiritual' sit in the Upper Chamber and vote on laws - a role which dates back to the time of Henry VIII - alongside hereditary and appointed peers. None of them have been elected.

Pam Giddy, director of POWER2010, said: "The House of Lords is a symbol of just how antiquated and out-of-date our constitution is. Perhaps its design made sense in Henry VIII's time. But as this poll clearly shows, the public want a fully elected second chamber - one without appointed cronies, aristocrats who have inherited the right to rule, or Bishops who are automatically given their seats.

"It is concerning that Labour appears to want to keep religious representatives in a reformed second chamber. It's not acceptable that we should remain one of the few countries in the world, alongside Iran, that grants seats in the legislature to religious representatives by right. That's why we're encouraging people to email the Bishops, and ask them to support our call for a second chamber in which every member is elected and accountable."

Over 50,000 emails have now been sent to the Bishops in Parliament, calling on them to back the demand for an elected second chamber. This action is being supported by a wide coalition of organisations and individuals, both religious and secular.

For more information or to see the full set of polling results contact Amanda Hughes, on 020 78066239 or 07795410527.

NOTES:

1. People can email the Bishops using an easy-to-use tool set up on the POWER2010 website at: www.power2010.org.uk/reformthelords.

2. POWER2010 is not aligned to any political party. It has received almost £1million in funding from the Rowntree Trusts to campaign around the general election.

3. More than 100,000 votes were cast to decide the POWER Pledge, a set of five reforms to clean up and reform British politics that now form the backbone of the POWER2010 campaign. A diverse range of organisations were involved in this process, including the Tax Payers Alliance, Compass, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Salvation Army, the Countryside Alliance and the National Pensioners Convention.

4. The POWER Pledge is:
- Introduce a proportional voting system.
- Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
- Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
- Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
- Draw up a written constitution.

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MPS WANTED FOR CRIMES AGAINST DEMOCRACY

Fiddling MPs who block reform are being targeted in a major nationwide campaign by democracy activists - starting with Tony McNulty

EMBARGOED until 00.01 Wednesday 10 March

MPs were put on notice today as democracy group Power2010 announced its plans to target those MPs who have consistently opposed cleaning up and reforming our political system.

The Power2010 campaign, which has received almost £1 million from the Rowntree Trusts and now has paid organisers across the country, will be the largest third-party campaign at the coming election.

In their bid to rid Parliament of anti-reform MPs, the grassroots campaign is drawing up a list of culprits from all major parties wanted for "crimes against democracy" and from today is asking members of the public to nominate MPs at www.power2010.org.uk/wanted.

Power2010 will then launch major campaigns in selected constituencies, highlighting sitting MPs' poor records on democratic reform and civil liberties.

Ex-minister Tony McNulty is first in their sights. The former minister, who resigned in disgrace last year following allegations over his expenses, is a well-known champion of the government's unpopular ID card scheme and an opponent of a transparent Parliament.

Power2010 volunteers and activists are planning to descend on Harrow East, beginning next week, plastering "Wanted for crimes against democracy" posters across town, whilst thousands of "swing" voters in the constituency will receive targeted campaign literature highlighting his opposition to a cleaned up reformed politics.

In the coming weeks the campaign will be targeting other MPs from all parties.

Pam Giddy, director of Power2010, said:

"This local campaign in Tony McNulty's seat is just the beginning. No matter what your party, if you're an MP who blocks democratic reform, attacks our civil liberties, cheats your expenses and shamelessly attempts to keep it secret, you'll be hearing from us.

"This is about ensuring we have a reforming Parliament after the election. We're going to keep up the pressure until election day to make sure the people who want to represent us in parliament take seriously the need for change."

End.