The Socialist Equality Party of Britain is standing David O’Sullivan in the Oxford East constituency for the May 6 general election. On April 14, O’Sullivan attended an election hustings on the issue of parliamentary reform at the East Oxford Community Centre organised by the campaign group Power2010. Candidates from the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the UK Independence Party and the Green Party also took part in the debate.

Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, Power2010 proposes five measures, which it states will restore democratic accountability to Britain’s parliamentary system. They are:

1. For a proportional voting system.

2. Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.

3. Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.

4. Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.

5. Draw up a written constitution.

The meeting was attended by over 100 people. A lively discussion saw many questions posed, predominantly over Labour’s support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the government’s response to the global economic crisis.