Seeff Welcomes Leadership Debates

3.02.17pm GMT Wed 13th Jan 2010

Geoff Seeff, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green, has welcomed the recent agreement reached between the three party leaders to participate in a series of televised debates during the General Election campaign.

Geoff gears up for the big debate

In a letter to local newspapers he wrote "Rather than this election, as so many previously, degenerating into a continuation of the "slanging match" that is Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons, each leader will now have the time, opportunity and obligation to explain in the most open of forums his party's key policies and to answer comments and criticisms from his opponents".

Geoff says that this is good news for voters and represents the first of the many steps required towards improving our democracy.

Following this example, the General Election could take on a new dynamic if there were more opportunities for public debate between candidates in all parliamentary constituencies. In the past a small number of the churches in Chingford and Woodford Green have hosted hustings but, whilst open to the general public, the audiences for these events have been drawn predominantly from their own congregations. Geoff hopes that on this occasion other community groups together with the local media will be prepared to organise all party debates. In him they will find a willing and enthusiastic participant.