Do you want Proportional Representation?

[DragonofAna]

The problem with PR is that it rewards fringe parties. At the election the BNP would have picked up 12 seats if we had PR. More frightening is that most people who voted BNP knew there was no chance of that candidate being elected. With PR they would know that they were actually electing someone and probably come out in far large numbers and the party contest every seat. It would easily mean 30 or more BNP MPs sitting in the Commons.

 

Excellent - so by stopping pr you are in fact stopping those people you do not consider desirable to be represented. Well there went democracy down the toilet. You can vote for anyone you want as long as it's who we say you can vote for. Marvellous.

[Wildcat]

The problem with PR is that it rewards fringe parties. At the election the BNP would have picked up 12 seats if we had PR. More frightening is that most people who voted BNP knew there was no chance of that candidate being elected. With PR they would know that they were actually electing someone and probably come out in far large numbers and the party contest every seat. It would easily mean 30 or more BNP MPs sitting in the Commons.

 

I would expect the BNP vote to fall under PR. A protest vote doesn't work if you elect a sleazy scumbag you know will be corrupt, fiddling expenses and doing no work.

[daftlad]

its they only way the wishy washy liberals will ever get to be in power on their own so definitely no

[Eater Sundae]

The problem with PR is that it rewards fringe parties. At the election the BNP would have picked up 12 seats if we had PR. More frightening is that most people who voted BNP knew there was no chance of that candidate being elected. With PR they would know that they were actually electing someone and probably come out in far large numbers and the party contest every seat. It would easily mean 30 or more BNP MPs sitting in the Commons.

 

Whether or not a party such as the bnp got any seats would depend on the type of PR chosen, but if they did, so be it. That's democracy.

 

I believe that PR would result in more middle of the road policies. Parties would need to learn how to achieve consensus and form working coalitions. Politicians would become more pragmatic and the country would be less likely to swing between diametrically opposed ideologies (although I acknowledge there hasn't been much swinging in recent years). Extremist wings of the major parties would be sidelined, along with extreme parties such as the bnp. Other countries in Europe have parties equivalent to the bnp without having to follow their manifesto.

[slimsid2000]

I don't want it. We would end up with permanent center-left government. Then if we join the Euro we would have permanent social market ecconomics to go with it.

 

Britain would change for ever.

[mapleboy]

I don't want it. We would end up with permanent center-left government. Then if we join the Euro we would have permanent social market ecconomics to go with it.

 

Britain would change for ever.

...and for the better. Bring it on. And before you ask, no, I'm not a LibDem. See my post #42 in the "If the Libdems joined the Tories" thread. I'm not so sure about the Euro either but when our economy gets sorted, why shouldn't we join it and strengthen it? Europe is a major factor in world economics whether folks like it or not.

[RonJeremy]

If you think the current horse-trading, indecision, coalition talks, feeble government, length of time between forming governments, small parties gaining disproportionate power and fringe parties gaining seats are all good ideas, then roll on PR. I however think this would lead to a poorer UK in every sense of the word.

 

Cutting loose Scotland - now there's an idea. England has been ruled by Scots for 13 years now - giving advantage to Scotland over England - which the english pay for. Independence for England I say.

[RonJeremy]

Because of course all those who favour PR are single issue voters

 

So it probable that many Lib voters don't want PR - perhaps they voted for a raft of other policies (hard to think what) - so we can reduce the 23% percent figure who are hard and fast in favour of PR.

 

Bring on PR = Bring on the BNP / Socialist / Respect and other Nutty parties

[epiphany]

Bring on PR = Bring on the BNP / Socialist / Respect and other Nutty parties

 

I think people are bored with the ridiculous scare tactics used by the anti-reform, anti-democracy crowd.

 

The BNP, as currently positioned, will not be significantly empowered by PR. PR is not some magic wand for fringe parties, as any serious electoral scholar will tell you.

 

If your main argument against PR is that extremists may be empowered, then you might want to look at the bigger picture as to why such a failure of the moderate voice would ever occur in the first place...

[Wildcat]

I am more inclined to the Labour party proposal of an Alternative Vote system, not proportional representation but where you get a second choice that gets counted if the person on the first vote has less than 50%.

 

I think it is the system used by the Australian House of Representatives.

 

We could introduce PR, but I think it would be better used in the House of Lords.