Eric Pickles endorses Save General Election Night on behalf of the Conservative Party and seeks a cross-party consensus that would maintain Thursday night counts

As duty editor of ConservativeHome for this morning, covering the mini-reshuffle of the Tory front bench and David Cameron's speech on cutting the cost of politics, I had intended waiting until Tim took over the site at lunchtime before spending some time contacting a variety of politicians to seek endorsements for the Save General Election Night campaign.

Since my dawn update, membership of the Facebook group has risen to almost 2,000 and a number of other bloggers from across the political spectrum have endorsed the campaign including Anthony Painter at LabourList, The Standard's Paul Waugh,  Malc in the Burgh, The Red Rag and Steve Tierney.

So I was surprised and delighted in equal measure a short time ago to get sight of the letter that Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles is today sending to Jack Straw, the Secretary of State for Justice. Not only does Mr Pickles endorse the cross-party Facebook campaign on behalf of the Conservative Party, but he expresses a desire for all the mainstream political parties to work together to retain Thursday night counts at the forthcoming general election.

He states:

"The arguments against such a change [to Friday counts] are concisely listed at the cross-party Facebook group to Save General Election Night. The Conservative Party endorses this campaign.

"At a time when interest and trust in politics is at such a low ebb, it would be a retrograde step to suck all the interest out of the most important and vibrant part of our democratic process. One only has to look to June's European Parliamentary Count to see how the whole process had all the impact of a soggy sparkler on Bonfire Night.

"I believe there is significant cross-party and cross-media support for general election counts to take place in the evening as they traditionally have (with the small exceptions of the most distant and remote parts of the United Kingdom)."

"Given central government is paying for the cost of the count, it is not unreasonable that some guidelines are given on how such a count should be conducted... Consequently, I would ask that the Ministry of Justice, in consultation with the Electoral Commission and the mainstream political parties, seeks to issue new guidance to Electoral Returning Officers to encourage traditional practices to be maintained. If you disagree, at the very least, I hope you would agree that this matter should be properly debated as soon as the House returns next month."

This is extremely encouraging news and the full text of the letter is below. Watch this space for further developments!

Jonathan Isaby

Dear Jack,

Timing of election counts for the forthcoming general election

It has become apparent that there are an increasing number of Electoral Returning Officers who are considering moving the timing of the general election count - from the evening of polling day to the day after polling day. There has been no discussion or consideration by Parliament or the Political Parties Panel of such a change.

The arguments against such a change are concisely listed at the cross-party Facebook group to Save General Election Night. The Conservative Party endorses this campaign.

At a time when interest and trust in politics is at such a low ebb, it would be a retrograde step to suck all the interest out of the most important and vibrant part of our democratic process. One only has to look to June's European Parliamentary Count to see how the whole process had all the impact of a soggy sparkler on Bonfire Night.

I believe there is significant cross-party and cross-media support for general election counts to take place in the evening as they traditionally have (with the small exceptions of the most distant and remote parts of the United Kingdom).

The important introduction of personal identifiers for postal votes has increased the amount of time to validate votes, especially if 100 per cent of identifiers are checked. Yet given the overwhelming majority of postal votes are returned before polling day, I fail to see why such postal votes cannot be validated during the day in advance of the close of poll.

Local authorities are compensated for their general election costs, as per the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 2005. There is no substantive cost to local council taxpayers of a general election count.

There has been a gradual trend for local election counts to move to Friday, however I am concerned that such an approach is now seriously being considered for general elections. Local newspapers tend to be published weekly, hence a day's delay has little effect on the local media. Yet the potential change of the UK's Government has resonance across the country and to our 24/7 media.

Given central government is paying for the cost of the count, it is not unreasonable that some guidelines are given on how such a count should be conducted. Consistency of count timing is entirely justified for general elections - unlike local elections - as the general election is a UK-wide process to one, national body; the delay by a few councils of their counts ruins the efforts undertaken by those which do not.

Consequently, I would ask that the Ministry of Justice, in consultation with the Electoral Commission and the mainstream political parties, seeks to issue new guidance to Electoral Returning Officers to encourage traditional practices to be maintained. If you disagree, at the very least, I hope you would agree that this matter should be properly debated as soon as the House returns next month.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Edward Davey in his capacity as Liberal Democrat Chair of Campaigns and Communications, to Harriet Harman in her role as Chair of the Labour Party, and I am placing it in the public domain.

I hope we can build on the emerging cross-party consensus to help ensure that the next general election reignites interest in our political process.

Yours sincerely,

Eric Pickles MP
Chairman of the Conservative Party

cc. Edward Davey, Liberal Democrats
cc. Harriet Harman, Labour Party