Campaign for digital voting in UK Parliament
Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas is backing a campaign by Digital Democracy to modernise Parliament by introducing a system of electronic voting for MPs.
Currently MPs are required to queue up every time there is a vote. Given the number of votes that occur over the course of a parliament - 12,000 during the last sitting – Lucas believes the existing system is outdated and inefficient.
"If we are to help more people to engage with the work of their elected representatives in Parliament, we need to shake off the image of the "old boys' club" and drag Westminster into the 21st century,” says Lucas.
The MP for Brighton Pavilion believes a digital voting system could save up to £30,000 a week in MPs salary costs – and would make MPs more accountable.
"Making the process of casting votes less time-consuming would make it possible for MPs to vote on more aspects of a Bill. This means the public would have a clearer record upon which to hold MPs to account.”