Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Warped Electoral System

UPDATE: OK, I meant to say that the Liberals were of course in SECOND place in the post below. As has also been pointed out in the comments, a new YouGov poll for, ahem, the Sun, now puts the Liberals in first place (33%), 1 point ahead of the Tories (32% for those who are mathematically challenged). It may be too close to call at the top of the poll, but nothing is disguising Labour's third place showing (26%). Mind you, that's still probably enough to give them victory. Who needs a proper functioning democracy after all?


There has been no greater illustration of the inadequacies of the present electoral system than the projections resulting from Nick Clegg's new found fame and fortune.

As the Independent reports, a ComRes poll puts the Liberal Democrats in third place, on 29%, behind the Tories on 31% but ahead of the third-placed Labour Party on 27%. But these figures would actually make Labour the largest party in Westminster (273 seats) with the Lib Dems on only 106 seats. If the Liberals are disfavoured by the present system, so too, clearly, are the Conservatives, making their refusal to consider electoral reform all the more bizarre and even suicidal.

Also in the Independent, usefully for students, is John Rentoul's summary of the pros and cons of the different electoral systems, which also says where in the UK they operate. Does he know there's an exam coming up?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

there's an exam coming up?

Charles.Highway. said...

Lib Dem's and Labour are third placed?

There's an exam coming up?

There's a blog?

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone choose to teach us...

consultant said...

An electoral system with an in-built advantage for the Labour party is good for Britain.

Anonymous said...

Tsk, Lib Dem is first now. If you had only waited 20 minutes for the YouGov Poll to come out, you could have included the new figures.

Worst. Blog. Post. Ever.

Charles.Highway. said...

Most. Comments. Ever.

Ben Ross said...

None of these systems suit me. We need to Americanise.

Take the PM out of the election, so we vote for a prime minister on a national basis, with a run off like the French do it.

Then we vote for the commons, with about 200-300 seats in the commons, FPTP or AV (they are effectively the same). This will be our constituency link.

And we vote for the Lords on a list system. Fully PR. This can reflect our nation and can then properly veto bills as and when they should be vetoed.

Giles Marshall said...

Interesting idea, although the French vote for their president on the basis you describe, with the president then choosing the PM from the largest parliamentary party.

And don't think your Cleggite leanings haven't been spotted, as you hovered behind him in Manor Park on BBC News!!!

Ben Ross said...

9am for a student is not a good time. I will be back to Labour supporting ways once i return to my constituency up norf with a Labour MP contesting a very marginal seat.

The retreat of liberalism goes on

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