tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15037609.post1464433474556089497..comments2023-10-01T16:53:17.274+01:00Comments on Cicero's Songs: Breaking the MouldCicerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02090838836212624633noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15037609.post-29182430960668512002010-04-20T11:06:22.548+01:002010-04-20T11:06:22.548+01:00Meanwhile the Libs are slipping back a little. I...Meanwhile the Libs are slipping back a little. It is increasingly clear that this can only end in Lib Lab pact probably without Brown and with a deal on PR.<br /><br />I am not at all sure PR would win a referendum but on the other hand the curent systemn would be unsustainable <br /><br />All in all its a bit of a pickleNewmaniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11922161971821380803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15037609.post-2093323596292292602010-04-20T10:18:25.754+01:002010-04-20T10:18:25.754+01:00I think the arrival of genuine three Party politi...I think the arrival of genuine three Party politics ,and especially with one Party so clearly unfairly treated , certainly does raise questions about FPTP.<br />The problem is that PR brings with it its own health warning especially imposed on a country whose tradition is so at odds with the less directly accountable European models .<br />I don`t see a perfect answer and detest STV and the rest of the funny ideas .<br />I dread being ordered around by the Scot Nats , the BNP and the rest of the minnows amd I loathe the idea of not knowing what you are voting for or againstNewmaniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11922161971821380803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15037609.post-73860597616519834532010-04-19T16:17:09.652+01:002010-04-19T16:17:09.652+01:00This could be the election that represents the beg...This could be the election that represents the beginning of the end for our FPTP system. But there is no mandate for introducing STV. <br /><br />It is plain for all to see that we need a fair system, an end to wasted votes, safe seats, campaign by marginal constituency and tactical voting. But we also need to shift power from the Government, to the Parliament. We need higher calibre MPs who are more independently minded. We need MPs who are elected on their personal merits, not just because they have the right party label. <br /><br />One of the reasons our electoral system is rotten is that we are forced to ignore the qualities of the individual candidates and focus on voting for the party. It is not that we have forgotten the Expenses Scandal. It is just that the Electoral system doesn't allow us any freedom to do anything about it. <br />When you vote for a constituency representative on the basis of party label alone, you will get some lazy, incompetent, even corrupt MPs. <br />You also get MPs who hesitate to vote except in accordance with the wishes of the party whip. <br /><br />Whatever Government we get from this unpredictable election must tackle electoral and parliamentary reform. We need an electoral system that everybody understands where MPs are elected on their own merits and thus can be more independent minded.<br />We need an electoral system where everybody can vote for the party of their choice and know that their vote will not be wasted.<br />We need a simple system which would allow voters to vote directly both for the best party and for the best constituency representative – Direct Party and Representative voting.<br /><br /><br />Doctor, Doctor…, <br />The patient has a severe case of an unfair voting system. <br />Dr Brown suggests an AV placebo (well you won’t be any worse off …). <br />Dr Cameron says ‘Buck your ideas up - there’s nothing wrong with you!' <br />Dr Clegg is keen to try out radical STV surgery, which involves amputation of your constituency and then stitching on several others, and the whole procedure is so complex only an expert in this specialist field will have a clue what’s going on. <br />They haven’t grasped that what the patient needs is simple practical electoral reform that everyone can understand – one vote for the party to form the government, one vote for the representative to be the Constituency MP. This is Direct Party and Representative voting (DPR). <br />A very small change, but just the treatment the patient needs – no invasive surgery, no drastic medication regime. In fact for the patient, voting can carry on pretty much as normal. <br />Admittedly life won’t be quite the same again for the Doctors and the rest of the political class. They will have to retrain, and they should start by learning about DPR voting. <br />Fortunately for us all, it is really ever so simple.Stephen Johnsonhttp://www.dprvoting.org/Default.htmnoreply@blogger.com