Ed Miliband says that major reforms are the only way to restore public faith" .
Right.
So why does he go on to propose a few necessary but minor reforms of the Parliamentary pantomime routines, and leave out the big, crying-out-loud reform - Proportional Representation (PR)? Does Ed Miliband seriously think he can keep the archaic, dysfunctional First Past the Post electoral system that gives power to a tiny minority of swing voters in a few marginal constituencies? First Past the Post produces safe seats. Not only are expenses claims proportionally greater for safe seat MPs, but also voter turnout is proportionally less in safe seats.
The Government should honour their manifesto promise, and hold a national debate on PR during the summer, followed by a referendum vote on PR in September, and then go for an election under PR soon as possible afterwards.
This is possible, but to make it possible, it looks as if we the people are going to have to show our power and commitment by spending a few days and nights demonstrating outside Parliament.
One technical problem is that PR needs a re-drawing of the electoral boundaries (or electing another 70 MPs on top of the 645 we already have, which is a move in the wrong direction.
But never mind, if you don't ask, you don't get. Alan Johnson is calling for PR, and there is a wave building up. We need to start paddling like hell to catch the wave.
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3 comments:
"The Government should honour their manifesto promise, and hold a national debate on PR during the summer, followed by a referendum vote on PR in September, and then go for an election under PR soon as possible afterwards."Doesn't this rather assume the result of the Referendum? I recall a phrase my Mum taught me about Chickens.
Richard -
I think the issue is susceptible to being muddled by the fact that there are many different types of PR. I'd like to see one that maintains some sort of local representative: MPs surgeries, reformed and revitalised, are an important link between local people and central government.
It's not at all clear what Labour means by "PR" - I greet their conversion to it with suspicion until we know.
Best Regards, GC
Weggis, the idea that the electorate would turn down the PR option is not one that has entered my head until you mentioned it. I do not think they would, J Public is not as stupid as politicians and journalists think s/he is.
Anyway, it's up to us to persuade them.
If they did turn it down, we might as well all take up crochet.
GC, relax. The basic fact is that anything is better than FPTP (except possibly the Israeli version of PR). The Green Party favours AMS, which preserves the constituency link.
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