Brown reignites electoral reform debate

alexhilton Mon May 14, 2007 at 04:31:37 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Unfair elections on the agenda for new premiership as Labour Leadership frontrunner Gordon Brown comes out in favour of electoral reform. (from an Electoral Reform Society press release)



The Electoral Reform Society has welcomed Brown’s openness on the very real problems of first past the post. Chief Executive Dr Ken Ritchie said: “We must congratulate Gordon Brown for his commitment to fair and representative government. We couldn’t agree more with his views on the importance of having politicians linked to their electorates: our representatives have to be involved and engaged in their constituencies. “In the present parliament, barely a third of MPs can claim they were backed at the ballot by a majority of voters. The Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath may want to take a tip from closer to home: Scotland has just had a successful local government elections using STV, and electors are now in a position where a great majority now have a councillor of the party of their choice. That’s what I call a link.” “We look forward to discussing reform with the new Labour leader after the 24th June.” Notes to Editors: · A complete transcript of Brown’s speech is available here: http://fabians.org.uk/events/hustings-07-leaders/speech · In the 2005 election 220 MPs won their seats based on a majority of voters. None were elected with a majority of the total electorate. · Scottish Local Government elections run under the new Single Transferable Vote (STV) system managed to buck the trend last week. The easily comprehensible preference voting system lead to a provisional rate of spoilage of 1.98%, compared to an average of 3.5% in the Scottish Parliament vote which required voters to mark with an ‘X’ · More at: http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/ For further information about the election results contact Ken Ritchie, Chief Executive, Electoral Reform Society (07754165551) or our London Office on 020 7928 1622

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Brown reignites electoral reform debate | 14 comments (14 topical)

Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#1)

by sunderkatwala on Mon May 14, 2007 at 05:16:00 PM GMT

This is massively overstated. Brown did not come out for electoral reform; he simply said he was not closed to it but had other priorities on the constitution. That might be a sign that something is afoot (such as the Alternative Vote). But it is most likely that no position has been taken, and it was simply a wish to seem open-minded about the issue at this stage. So 'reignites' is over-spinning. I thought this was now the post-spin era!


Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#2)

by swatantra on Tue May 15, 2007 at 03:07:11 PM GMT

I do hope that Brown gives serious consideration to PR. The way things are going Labour will struggle to gain a majority at the next election, but might well emerge as the largest party. If the Party wants to engage more people in the electoral process, then it has to offer a wider choice. So, a 5% or 7% of the total vote, could secure a minority party a small number of seats, giving them representaion in Parliament. I know this could mean that the some Facist Parties could well enter Parliament. But then it is a price we may have to pay. On the other hand we could make the BNP a proscribed party.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#4)

by petercoe on Tue May 15, 2007 at 09:29:32 PM GMT

"If the Party wants to engage more people in the electoral process, then it has to offer a wider choice."

Except that turnout under PR has been no better - and in many instances worse. And what happened in the Scottish elections (aside from the different PR systems confusing over 100,000 voters into spoiling their ballots)? Minor parties - the "choice" you claim PR brings - squashed out of the Parliament.

So that's another myth propagated by the PR lobby. Electoral systems don't inspire voters - politicians need to do that, and the sooner people stop pretending any different, the sooner we can address the apathy.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#7)

by oratorhunt on Fri May 18, 2007 at 10:59:11 AM GMT

The spoilt ballots in Scotland were the consequence of ballot paper design - not, by and large, of any confusion about different voting systems. The rate of spoilage under STV for local council elections was about the same as in N. Ireland general elections - and they have been using that system for years. As for 'choice' in Scotland - the reason the smaller parties did less well was that their support dropped. That's what happens in a democratic system! PR enables fair representation, and the ability to vote for who you support most - not having to hold your nose to vote tactically.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#9)

by petercoe on Fri May 18, 2007 at 05:44:48 PM GMT

More nonsense. FPTP affords the ability to vote for who you support the most too: it's a personal choice whether to vote positively for the candidate you most want or against the candidate you least want under any system

To claim that tactical voting does not occur under PR systems is simply at odds with experience in countries and territories that use such systems.

As for your point about support for minor parties dropping, that's a rather circular argument given that as you also argue in the same post, the whole purpose of PR is to ensure a voice for those parties who get squeezed out under FPTP. If they get crushed under PR too, may as well stick with the more honest, more accountable, upfront and straightforward system, eh?


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#6)

by oratorhunt on Fri May 18, 2007 at 10:50:07 AM GMT

Chances of the BNP getting elected depend on the system of PR you use. In 3/4 member STV wards you'd typically need 20-25% to get representation. But in any case, the one thing that would be impossible under PR would be the BNP to take control of a whole council on a minority share of the vote - in the teeth of obvious majority opposition.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#8)

by petercoe on Fri May 18, 2007 at 05:40:21 PM GMT

And could you list the councils they've taken control of under FPTP please?


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#11)

by oratorhunt on Sat May 19, 2007 at 09:24:33 AM GMT

That's an extraoridinarily complacent attitude - you might have thought the substanial council base they've built up in Barking and Dagenham might have led to some pause for thought. FPTP is producing political vacuums which the BNP are already beginning to exploit. The political culture it gives rise to is manifestly not working.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#12)

by Glass House on Sun May 20, 2007 at 11:21:00 AM GMT

While fighting them 100%, I will remain quietly confident (complacent) that the BNP will make no headway beyong the inconsequential support they've already picked up.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#14)

by jkitleft on Sun May 20, 2007 at 08:04:35 PM GMT

The BNP are involved in more sleaze/scandals than other parties. If they have elected representitives if national elections, they will get more media coverage, and thus the sleaze will get more coverage, making people realise how incompetent they really are.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#3)

by jkitleft on Tue May 15, 2007 at 05:41:04 PM GMT

I think we need a system of AMS. But anyway, we have made some sort of commitment to it in our last three manifestos


Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#5)

by doctordunc on Thu May 17, 2007 at 06:59:18 PM GMT

Perhaps Brown will just ban elections altogether.


Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#10)

by petercoe on Fri May 18, 2007 at 05:46:59 PM GMT

Nah - all he has to do is follow Communist best-practice and allow all parties to stand for election provided they're the Labour Party.


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Re: Brown reignites electoral reform debate (#13)

by doctordunc on Sun May 20, 2007 at 03:25:26 PM GMT

We seem to getting there already - I've heard Brownites getting excited because organisations have nominated him. There's only one candidate! Saddam Hussain would get nominated!!


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Brown reignites electoral reform debate | 14 comments (14 topical)