I favour PR voting systems. But not AV. Voting means saying that you want Mr X to represent you. It does not mean saying that you think that Miss Y is second best and Mr Z third best, and may be if Mr X does not get enough votes, you would be more or less happy with your second or third choice. That is not voting - that is equivocation. I would prefer the AMS (Additional Member) system used in GLA elections - that way you keep your local member for your constituency but also have list members to make it proportional. I have never been impressed with the argument that you end up with 2 classes of MP - once they get to Westminster they would all blend in and the list and constituency MPs could share the constituency work. At least in that system you make one positive choice for your local representative and then one positive party-political choice for a list candidate - job done - no need to elect second and third best candidates. So I'll be voting NO on 5th May.
Bogdanor has some interesting things to say
here.
I prefer PR, but voting no to this will tell the establishment that everything is rosy, and we won't see another chance to change voting systems for a generation.
ReplyDelete@Steve - if you vote YES for this we will not see another chance to change voting systems for umpteen generations.
ReplyDeleteAV is a "shoddy compromise" and should be rejected IMHO.