Heather Kidd called today for proposals to close thousands of polling stations in rural areas, and for voting hours to be slashed, to be cancelled.
Labour are looking at all sorts of ways to try and balance their books and Heather said “These proposals aim to save £65 million and what do we get for it? We get less staff, polling cards replaced with e-mail requests, increased candidates’ deposits, fixed-term parliaments and reduced security at election counts. This threat to democracy must be fought tooth and nail. In rural areas where people have to travel long distances to vote we are likely to see polling stations close. Rural communities have been decimated by both this government and previous Conservative governments. Schools, Post Offices and shops have all suffered and now for many rural people the right to cast their vote on the day in a ballot box is under threat.”
This daft idea from Labour could take place for the coming general election as some of these proposals do not require legislation.