PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION COUNT IN HARROGATE AND KNARESBOROUGH

Early day motion 1158, tabled 23 March 2010 by Lord Willis of Knaresborough (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 24 members.

That this House supports the principle that the counting of votes following the 2010 general election should take place immediately after the close of polls, recognising that in some remote areas the commencement of the count may be delayed for several hours; is disappointed that in Harrogate and Knaresborough where all ballot boxes can be returned to a central counting area within an hour of the closing of the polls a decision has been taken to delay the count until the next day; believes that election night remains one of the remaining opportunities for mass engagement with the political system; supports the view of the Speaker of the House of Commons that it is important to democracy that counting is not delayed and we have `instant and not slow motion democracy'; was pleased that there was cross-party support for an amendment to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill 2009 to require councils to arrange counts within four hours of the closure of the polls; and calls on Harrogate Borough Council to re-consider its ill-advised decision to break with decades of tradition and agree to hold the 2010 general election count immediately after the polls close.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Liberal Democrat 10, Independent 1.