And More AV versus FPTP

I thank Richard Fife for joining in the 'debate' on AV v FPTP. However, it would appear that the irony of my argument has passed him by.

Of course First past the Post is a 'rubbish system', to borrow his words. Of course the Alternative Vote, with all its faults, is slightly fairer; but not as good as the Single Transferable Vote, as used, for example, in Ireland or even the D'Hondt method of party lists we use in European elections. So, why, once it was apparently forced on us as a compromise by our coalition 'partners', didn't we at least make a real effort to fight seriously for it when the referendum campaign began instead of sitting back, relying on the electronic media and the odd rally?

I thought that it had only been Neil Kinnock who had, in the famous quote, 'snatched defeat from the jaws of victory' at that hubristic rally in Sheffield on 1 April 1992 ( note the date) in the General Election of that year. With support for PR, according to many opinion polls, running at well over 50% at the start of the campaign the Yes campaign managed to turn that lead into a massive defeat. The No campaign's tactics were simple. Once David Cameron released his 'attack dogs' they went for the jugular, shamelessly using the unpopularity of Nick Clegg to ram home their mendacious message in at least three glossy leaflets delivered to every household. I don't think I received one message in paper form from the Yes campaign, just a series of idealistic emails.

So, there you are. With perhaps our only chance in a generation to get some form of 'fairer votes' (one of the main reasons I joined the party) we blew it! I doubt whether it will come again in my lifetime, although, ironically, had AV been the voting method for next year's General Election, I am led to believe that the Tories' chances of emerging as the largest party on current voting trends might indeed be enhanced. Perhaps they might now come to like it after all!

The reality is that we do now finally appear to be morphing into a multi party state, like most of our European neighbours. If FPTP is no longer capable of delivering majority governments then we clearly need a system that reflects the spread of voting intentions across the electorate. Unfortunately, judging by the evidence across the Channel, that would mean that Liberal parties would always struggle to reach double figures in terms of support. That doesn't bother me, as long as liberal ideas find their way into future legislation. I believe it was Lord Healey, who is alleged to have said something like that it was the Liberals who provided the ideas for the two big parties to adopt as their own. Half a loaf or 'the burr under the saddle'?

Cllr John Marriott