Stop it being a Two horse race

There is a Facebook group, run by a LDYS member, called "I want more than a Two horse race". Paul Pettinger is organising a letter to all MPs (see text below). If you want to be a signatory on this letter, please contact Paul via the group (he is admin officer in the right hand column or his email address is just below the top text box) before 11am today. You don't have to be a LDYS member to do this, just a LibDem member.

Dear XXX MP

Re: Liberal Democrat Party Leadership Election

Liberal Democrat Youth and Student members are excited by the forthcoming leadership election and many are already actively supporting Nick and Chris.We are however saddened that, so far, only two, fairly similar MPs have announced their candidature. As a party which celebrates diversity and plurality of choice, it seems incongruous with our values that we only have the choice between two candidates who are white, male and middle-aged. Both were educated at Oxbridge, Westminster school and both contributed to the Orange book. We implore you, as a parliamentary party member, to stand up for democracy and consider supporting a wider range of candidates.Our party needs healthy debates on a broad range of liberal issues to ensure we are able to choose a leader who we can be proud to support for many years to come. This should not be a two horse race.If you are already supporting one of the candidates, you have nothing to lose from widening the pool and supporting another: under our STV electoral system factional votes (i.e. the left wing, green or youth votes) can’t be split. We have nothing to fear from more candidates. We believe that both the mandate of the winning candidate and the party as a whole will be strengthened from a wider debate.Yesterday, we set up a Facebook group called “I want more than a 2 horse race”. Within 24 hours we had XXX members, all Liberal Democrats. Young members are the future of the party. We believe in democracy, plurality of choice and diversity. We believe that you do too.

Please support our campaign for a wider field of candidates in the Liberal Democrat leadership race.

Yours sincerely,