Politics is too important to be left to Peter Hain

The Vote for a Change campaign responded today to Peter Hain's suggestion that a change to the voting system could be pulled off without the need for a referendum. Hain had said: "I do not think voters would thank you for troubling them with the question."

Last night the Vote for a Change Campaign held a major rally in Westminster attended by over six hundred people - including Hain's colleague John Denham and departed Cabinet Minister James Purnell - making clear that voters, not politicians, should get to decide.

Musicians KT Tunstall, Billy Bragg and Blur's Dave Rowntree joined with poets and politicians in calling for a genuinely citizen led reform of parliament.

The campaign also started a countdown to 5th November - by which time plans for a referendum should be settled for inclusion in the Queen's Speech.

Willie Sullivan of the Vote for a Change campaign said:

"This campaign was set up in the wake of the expenses crisis on the pretext that politics is just too important to be left to politicians. Well politics is certainly too important to be left to Peter Hain.

"Yesterday hundreds gathered over the road from the Palace of Westminster to press for reform that would make MPs more accountable and more representative of their voters. We welcomed politicians from left and right who were prepared to concede that voters might just have a view on politics.

"The Queen's Speech is drawing ever closer. Come November 5th the chance to fix parliament may be lost. November 5th is a day all politicians would be wise to remember. It's a date voters won't forget if the chance to change parliament is lost."

Let's not lose that chance - sign up here to join the campaign.