SIR,
It was with some surprise that I read a letter from the head of the Electoral Commission for Wales Kay Jenkins stating that the referendum on further law making powers for Wales will be held on March 3rd 2011.
Is it not up to the secretary of state for Wales, Cheryl Gillan, to decide and officially announce the exact date the vote will be held?
It is concerning that a highly paid executive for what should be an indisputably independent body has wrongly informed the public that a referendum will be held on a particular date, whatever the odds that this may happen.
In effect, it usurps the political power of the very person given the legislative powers to make that call, and calls into question the impartiality of the Electoral Commission, which is in fact charged with overseeing the referendum process.
I have stated before that the cost of holding separate ballots would be a heavy burden on the public purse at some extra £5 million, at a time when the UK Government are making severe cuts to the way tax payers' money is spent.
My calls have been seconded by the Assembly Government's presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, among others.
Given that the secretary of state for Wales is yet to respond to a letter I directed to her appealing for the Welsh Assembly elections, the UK referendum on the alternative voting system and the referendum for further law making powers in Wales be held simultaneously, I can only presume that a final decision has yet to be made and the opportunity to argue for a combined day of voting is still wide open?
The Electoral Commission is supposed to set standards for well-run elections and is independent of the Government but ultimately answerable to Parliament.
It seems that in this latest public comment, all of these points could be refuted.
John Bufton