Macneil hits out at vote date clash 23/7/10
SNP MP and Constitutional Reform Spokesman, Angus MacNeil, has hit out at the UK Government for its "Disrespect Agenda" as coalition ministers publish their plan to have a referendum on voting reform on the same day as the elections to the devolved administrations.
The publication of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill to bring about the referendum comes after senior Conservative backbencher, Eleanor Laing MP, openly criticised the date clash at Scottish Questions yesterday (Wednesday).
Mr MacNeil said: "It is utterly unacceptable for the Coalition Government to treat the Scottish Parliament and the people of Scotland with such contempt.
"By holding the AV referendum on the same day there is a real danger of the Scottish Parliamentary elections being overshadowed and the issues that really matter to the people of Scotland being eclipsed by a media focus on an electoral system that is not supported by any of the political parties.
"Failure to consult the devolved administrations exposes the Tory / Liberal Disrespect
Agenda. It's time coalition minsters started listening to the governments of Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland -
"SNP ministers will seek a vote at Holyrood at an early opportunity after the recess
to use the parliamentary majority -