Electoral reform would have to be “front and centre” of talks for the Lib Dems to enter a new coalition in the UK, one of the party’s leadership contenders has said.
The Lib Dems’ deputy leader Jo Swinson said she would not enter a coalition with Labour or the Conservatives at the moment because the current leadership of both parties was “fundamentally opposed to our core values”.
But Ms Swinson, who served as a minister in the former coalition government, said today that fundamental political reform would have to front and centre of any future coalition talks.
She added: “Currently, the leadership of those parties is so fundamentally opposed to our core values that that (a coalition) isn’t possible.
“Strategically, for solving the problems within our politics, we need to change the broken way in which we do things.
“One of the key things that needs to happen as we address the political chaos is, we need to change our electoral system.
“That’s part of what’s going wrong. In any future discussions with any leaders that are not so diametrically opposed to our values, that fundamental political reform has to be front and centre.”
She added: “There’s no way we can go forward in the future in those type of arrangements without securing that political reform.”.
I’m excited to announce I’m running for leader of the @LibDems so we can:
– Build an economy that puts people and the planet first
– Harness the technological revolution for Britain’s future
– Rally a liberal movement to stand up for our values➡️ https://t.co/hMmWhyX3Dj pic.twitter.com/jzJbqDoWPo
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) May 31, 2019
The East Dunbartonshire MP said stopping Brexit was a fight that could be won and there was growing support for a people’s vote.
She added: “The Lib Dems are committed to stopping Brexit and we are optimistic given the recent European election results.
“There’s an appetite among many people in the country, looking at the Brexit shambles, to say: ‘This nonsense has to stop.’
“We have to win the battle in Parliament and that is through cross-party alliances.
“Parliament does not want a no-deal exit. That has been crystal clear. Parliament is going to have its say.
Discover more from London Glossy Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
