Cook backs online voting

The electorate could be consulted about policies online

Encouraging people to vote via the internet could help reverse the drop in turnout at last year's general election, according to Commons leader Robin Cook.

Consulting the electorate online about government policies and initiatives should encourage participation and build a "continuous dialogue" with the public, he said.

The internet offers us a tool for participation without precedent in democratic history

Robin Cook
Commons leader

The government will publish a "Charter for e-Democracy", laying out the circumstances under which e-consultation will take place.

It will set standards for ministerial responses to the contributions made by voters.

Cyber dialogue

Mr Cook told a conference on e-democracy in London: "The internet offers us a tool for participation without precedent in democratic history.

The government will publish standards for its use of the Internet to consult voters

"It is entirely healthy that a government-initiated online debate should allow the dialogue between participants to develop and not be confined solely to comments on an official document."

Mr Cook has said he wants the UK to become the first country in the world to use the internet for voting, perhaps as soon as the next general election.

The CitizenSpace page of the ukonline site, which already permits voters to remark on government plans, is set for a relaunch and redesign later this year in an attempt to encourage greater participation.

CitizenSpace can be found at www.ukonline.gov.uk