Proportional Representation

[poppet2]

No it wasn't, Proportional Representation hasn't been offered to the British people.

 

What was offered was AV Alternative Vote, a different and flawed system which allowed politicians to argue against it.

 

They would have had massive problems trying to argue against PR as it is without doubt the fairest system devised.

 

Politicians are not interested in fairness they are interested in getting elected and as they did so under FPTP they want to keep it.

 

Neither are their friends that own the right wing newspapers interested in a fairer system, that would prevent right wing politicians from gaining power, hence the lack of coverage or support for an alternative voting system in the press.

[andyofborg]

Here's a thought, as head of state can the queen not say "right chaps, next election it's PR (of whatever sort) - deal with it"

 

i suspect she probably can, however probably wont as that would break the 400 year old agreement that the crown lets parliament rule and parliament doesn't commit regicide.

 

---------- Post added 10-05-2015 at 17:16 ----------

 

Sour grapes from a load of leftie rent a mob with a handful of kippers thrown in. None of this fuss was around about the so called unfair FPTP system when Labour got in during the 1997-2010 periods. Nor during the tory rules of 1979-1997. There was none of this fuss when the coalition government was formed in 2010.

 

 

it's not sour grapes at all, for many years the lib dems and their predecessors have wanted a fairer system of voting.

 

the first past the post system developed in the two party whig and tory times 150 odd years ago, it survived the rise of the labour party but with the rise of the snp, ukip and greens as genuine political forces it's become increasingly ludicrous.

 

The new(ish) parties got almost 30% of the vote but only got 13% of the seats and that hardly seems fair (depending on your definition of fair)

 

the conservatives and labour will never support reform as that breaks their dominance, however it's probably time to do that.

 

the pr model used by the scottish parliament seems a good one to choose.

[Solomon1]

Neither are their friends that own the right wing newspapers interested in a fairer system, that would prevent right wing politicians from gaining power, hence the lack of coverage or support for an alternative voting system in the press.

 

Indeed

 

So patently obvious

[loraward]

Here's a thought, as head of state can the queen not say "right chaps, next election it's PR (of whatever sort) - deal with it"

 

I agree, the government needs to be told that they have to use a fair system, it shouldn't be put to the public.

[Solomon1]

I agree, the government needs to be told that they have to use a fair system, it shouldn't be put to the public.

 

I agree also

[loraward]

Hardly very democratic. Should it not be for us to decide if we want it or not?

 

 

No, why should the majority be allowed to choose a system which leaves a minority without representation in government.

[El Cid]

The Tories got 11,334,920 votes, according to wikipedia; anyone know what percentage that is of the electorate?

[the_bloke]

The Tories got 11,334,920 votes, according to wikipedia; anyone know what percentage that is of the electorate?

 

30,691,680 votes cast, 66.1% turnout. So 33.9% of the electorate didn't bother.

 

Simple maths gives the electorate at 41,096,159 people.

 

Tories won 36.9% of votes cast.

 

Tories won 27.5% of the electorate, but that's meaningless as no votes don't count.

[El Cid]

Tories won 27.5% of the electorate, but that's meaningless as no votes don't count.

 

The Tories are planning a minimum 40% strike ballot for the public sector, so it is important to me.

If we get PR, I will have less of an argument.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

30,691,680 votes cast, 66.1% turnout. So 33.9% of the electorate didn't bother.

 

Simple maths gives the electorate at 41,096,159 people.

 

Tories won 36.9% of votes cast.

 

Tories won 27.5% of the electorate, but that's meaningless as no votes don't count.

All "how many votes cast" discussions founder on one simple fact: what matters is simply the quantity of MPs elected for each Party.