MP welcomes political reform

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Jul 2010

Simon Wright, MP for Norwich South, has welcomed a statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in the House of Commons regarding political reform this afternoon.

Mr Clegg announced government bills before the summer for fixed-term parliaments and for a referendum on electoral reform.

Mr Wright said: "The reforms announced will shift power away from Government and towards people. A set length of term for each parliament will mean that governments will never again be able to dither over whether or not to call an election on the basis of opinion polls and cynically calculated political party advantage.

"The referendum on electoral reform provides another exciting prospect for change. A succeessful vote will give people the chance to cast preferences for candidates on the ballot paper.

"After years of declining confidence in politics and politicians, real change is needed. The announcements today are a positive start."