I urge every Conservative, LibDem and even Labour MP who believe in electoral reform to vote AGAINST the Government tonight on the Bill to bring about a referendum on the Alternative Vote system by the end of 2011.
On the face of it, perhaps opponents (like me) of the current First-Past-The-Post system should welcome any reform and embrace the proposals from this dying Government as being a "step in the right direction".
It is rather funny to think that Labour are serious about electoral reform when Brown blocked every attempt by Tony Blair to move the agenda forward back in the post '97 discussions with the LibDems around the Cabinet table.
The reason for this Damascene conversion to electoral reform is nothing but a sham, a grubby attempt to curry favour with LibDems and moderate reformists who have been desperate (and rightly so) to see a reform in how we elected the Commons. I would not trust Brown to honour any pledge given now if he were, by some disaster, to hold onto the reins of power after May 6th.
The proposals being put forward for approval in a referendum are no less a sham. The Alternative Vote is a sham of a compromise. It does not tackle the fundamental problems associated with the current FPTP system and indeed emebds them further. The result of an AV election is not proportional to the votes cast across the country and the system offers no more choice to the elector and instead still invests most power with the politcal party machine.
For those keen on the "first step" to real reform and who are minded to press their MP to vote for this shoddy proposal, they should remember that the 1911 Parliament Act, designed as a temporary measure to allow the passing of the "People's Budget", before more radical reform of the Lords could be brough forward, has been with us now for nearly a century.
Let us not go forward with a reform we will regret. I want to see real pressure applied to the leadership of my Party to support fair votes and to be persauded of the case for electoral reform as part of a wider agenda to return power to the people. A Bill to save the skin of a failed Prime Minister is not a step in the right direction, but a false siren which will smash all hopes of real and principled future reform on the rocks of expediency.
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Would you support the Liberal Democrat amendment to add an option for STV?
ReplyDeleteIf the amendment doesn't carry, then I would hope at least some Lib Dems vote no.
I personally would vote for the STV amendment, but would, like you, hope that all those MPs serious about delivering fair votes file through the No Lobby this evening.
ReplyDeleteUnder STV the expected outcome is largely proportional with minor parties polling less than 10-15% excluded. The party that wins the election under the current system is the big loser under STV, the lib-dems are the big winner. AV doesnt seem to change much so its a lot of hot air though it might be fairer. The question is wether we want the winning party with 40% of the vote to assume complete control or if we want permanent coalitions.
ReplyDeleteMr Kinzett, you should describe yourself as a 'prospective Parliamentary candidate' until the date of the general election is set and you are formally adopted. As a stickler for constitutional proprieties, you should amend this at once.
ReplyDelete@Anon 12:59 11/2 - sorry, that's all old hat now and terms like PPC are just insider jargon, let's actually make politics more accessible to people outside of the bubble.
ReplyDelete