Rendel's 2010 New Year Message to West Berks Residents (David Rendel)

Rendel's 2010 New Year Message to West Berks Residents

January 1, 2010 3:36 PM

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Newbury, David Rendel, has today sent a New Year message to his fellow-residents in West Berkshire.

"2010 will be a year of both great opportunities and grave dangers for us all.

"The opportunities include a once-in-a-generation chance to clean up politics by taking power away from the politicians and the political parties and giving it instead to the voters. The current electoral system gives voters in three out of every four constituencies no real power at all to change anything, since those "safe" seats are always won by the same party in every General Election. If we elect the right people, the next Government will introduce a fair voting system which will give everyone a vote of equal value. At last the MPs will be forced to pay real attention to what their voters want. No MP will ever again will able to enrich themselves at the expense of the taxpayer.

"The threats include the danger of electing a government which brings to a halt the economic recovery and sends us plunging back into a deep recession.

"Internationally we need to retain our leadership of the fight for strong and enforceable, worldwide agreements on measures to stop the destruction of our environment. The measures agreed so far fall well short of what is needed. But electing a Government full of MPs who do not believe that climate change is a problem would be to make exactly the same disastrous mistake as the Americans made when they elected George Bush.

"Here in West Berkshire we are lucky to be in one of the Liberal Democrat/ Conservative marginal constituencies where we CAN make a real difference to the outcome of the next election. It is not just a right but a duty for us all to think very carefully about who is most likely to help us grasp the great opportunities which 2010 will bring, while avoiding the grave dangers ahead.

"I wish all my fellow-residents a Very Happy New Year."