As a measure to deflect public attention away from the shit heap that is their Government, in recent days - post expenses scandal - NuLab has been constantly banging on about constitutional and electoral reform, as if somehow these are to blame for the mess. Lord Mambypamby did it again this morning on Andrew Marr's programme.This is just political spin, or what we normal people call 'lying'.
The Lib Dems and all the other smaller parties naturally want to bang on about this as well because it suits them too. It is their Holy Grail. It is their key to electoral success. So let's just pause a moment and deal with this distraction once and for all.
The spin goes that PR is more fair, more balanced and more representative by being more proportional. Well, it is definitely more proportional and therefore THEORETICALLY in some ways more fair. But let's park theory and move on to practically, which at the end of the day is what politics is all about.
The reality of PR in this country would mean the following:
1. The public would, at almost every election in history, have lost the ability to chuck a party out of power decisively. No April 1997. No June 2010 (?!). Why? Because in almost every election we have ever had, the party that the public mood had moved significantly against would have been able to stitch up a coalition to keep them in power.
2. The Liberal Democrats would always be in Government. Why? Because either of the two largest parties would need their MPs to form a government coalition.
3. The BNP, UKIP, Greens, English Democrats (whoever they are?) and all the other mad, bad and loony small parties would hold seats in the Mother of all Parliaments. Why? Do the maths.
4. Coalition government is ALWAYS weak government, held to ransom by the minor coalition partners' views. Look around the world. Look at the European Parliament. Look at councils in no overall control across this country.
So if you want to lose one of the few real electoral powers we proles have, if you want one minor party always around the cabinet table, if you want fascists in Parliament, and if you want the UK to have weak governments, then PR is for you.
Can we move on from this cretinous issue now, please.
2 comments:
Incorrect Melvin!! The results of the past 30 years' elections would have resulted in the same one party forming a majority Government each and every time (almost all commentators agree that this iwould have been the case). The only difference would have been in 2010 when the Lib Dems could have formed a coalition with Labour or the Conservatives. As it was, Clegg (of Cleggmania fame) stated he would go with the party who won the most votes which seems broadly fair to my mind. Surely we want our MPs to be elected by over 50% of the voting publc in their areas. Surely we want political campaigns to develop and reach out beyond politicians only appealing to their core vote (or in some safe Lab/Con seats no campaigning/listening at all), surely we want to end 'jobs for life'... Whilst AV is certainly not ideal or indeed many people's first choice (not mine), it is better than what we currently have. Finally dear Melvin, I need to correct you as AV is not a proportional system, it is a majority system therefore your arguments as stated do not apply (in the main) to AV.
Lots of love
Incorrect Melvin!! The results of the past 30 years' elections would have resulted in the same one party forming a majority Government each and every time (almost all commentators agree that this iwould have been the case). The only difference would have been in 2010 when the Lib Dems could have formed a coalition with Labour or the Conservatives. As it was, Clegg (of Cleggmania fame) stated he would go with the party who won the most votes which seems broadly fair to my mind. Surely we want our MPs to be elected by over 50% of the voting publc in their areas. Surely we want political campaigns to develop and reach out beyond politicians only appealing to their core vote (or in some safe Lab/Con seats no campaigning/listening at all), surely we want to end 'jobs for life'... Whilst AV is certainly not ideal or indeed many people's first choice (not mine), it is better than what we currently have. Finally dear Melvin, I need to correct you as AV is not a proportional system, it is a majority system therefore your arguments as stated do not apply (in the main) to AV.
Lots of love
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