The Labour shadow cabinet has decided to vote against a bill introducing reform to the voting system, raising the prospect of a Commons defeat for one of the governing coalition's flagship policies.
In this decision, Labour is creating an unholy alliance between itself and Tory dinosaurs in opposing any electoral reform, no matter how small. They want to stay with the outrageously unrepresentative and undemocratic FPTP system.
Although AV is not proportional, and can sometimes deliver even less representative results than FPTP, it does at least mean that each MP has the support of more than 50% of the constituency vote. More importantly, a Yes vote in the AV referendum will break Britain's electoral mouldiness, and will open the way for AV+, which would be proportional and democratic.
This decision by the Labour shadow cabinet makes clear to all that the 100 year claim of Labour to be the party of the people is well and truly buried. Labour stands for nothing beyond its own desire to govern. People of principle who still support Labour are sadly deluded.
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2 comments:
This is a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, Richard.
It seems to be the part of the Bill dealing with the boundary reform process that is causing most concern. If disproportionality is not addressed we might even end up with a system foreseeably less representative than the present one.
The claims of 'gerrymandering' are not without foundation. Without writing an essay, here's just one issue:
The new boundaries may be based on already-registered voters rather than on those entitled to vote - we all know what the consequences of this will be.
Re Labour
As long as the trade union link with Labour remains the possibility for Labour to represent 'the people' will also remain. And as long as people of principle like Ken Livingstone and Diane Abbott occupy positions of prominence within the Labour Party a progressive role cannot be ruled out.
Yeah, I thought someone would come back at me with that one. 2 issues, reform and boundaries. Surely Labour have enough Parliamentary nous to disaggregate the 2 issues?
Sorry, Labour now rhymes with failure. 13 years of wasted opportunity: 2 illegal wars, kowtowing to corporations in general and Murdoch in particular, no increase in equality. They do not deserve respect.
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