Wolfie: Why are the Tories allowing a referendum on AV?

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Why are the Tories allowing a referendum on AV?

Maybe because that will put closure on the whole debate about greater democratic accountability, AV will deliver very marginal change that the Tories and Labour can live with comfortably and it may help the Liberal-Democrats as the third party but will not help the smaller parties such as the Alliance for Green Socialism, Communist Party of Britain, Green Party or Socialist Party, it won’t achieve proportional representation and therefore will be no more democratic than FPTP regarding the character of governance in Britain.

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Wolfie5 April 2011 at 15:51
FPTP vs. AV

What about the Single Transferable Vote vs. Alternative Vote vs. First Past the Post. Maybe if we vote no or abstain so as to give no legitimacy to the referendum then we can argue for reform which produces a more accurate reflection of the choice of the people than either AV or FPTP?

FPTP is the worst system and the least democratic, but I don’t see AV as a step nearer to PR. If AV is chosen to replace FPTP the ruling elite will close ranks and say we have a referendum and there is no case for further democratization of the electoral system. Better to reject AV, and then those who support proportional representation can unite in calling for a referendum with all the options put to the people of Britain. There can then be a proper debate between AMS, AV, AV+ STV and leaving the FPTP system. The European elections are based on the STV system, AMS is used by Germany, Italy, New-Zealand, the London Assembly and Scottish Parliament and AV in Australia so the people can be given statistical analysis as to which system gives the nearest reflection of the will of the people and therefore the most democratic. That’s the way forward rather than a cobbled compromise between the conservative, liberal and labour elite.
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A Future That Works

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Why are the Tories allowing a referendum on AV?

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