Comments on Obsolete: No alternative.

Even with open lists is still doesn't elimina...

2011-04-14T16:01:38.268+01:00

Even with open lists is still doesn't eliminate the question of who each MP is held accountable by. Although a closed list take my current roster of MEPs.

For the West Midlands they're all based on the Eastern most side following the pattern of highest population. They're divorced from the goings on for the entire middle and Western side of the constituency.

Chances are that even with an open list it's going to be dominated along the high-population areas. At least with FPTP or AV we get someone who at least is expected to show some interest in our area.

Phil: It is such a small change that while I'l...

2011-04-14T13:32:19.234+01:00

Phil: It is such a small change that while I'll be disappointed if the referendum fails, I'm not going to go to any great lengths condemning those taking such an attitude. A victory for the yes vote will however also affect the Tories and could destabilise the coalition just as much as a no.

Flip: That was why the Jenkins commission recommended open lists for the top up part, allowing you to vote both for the party and the individual you wanted from the list.

Just to add contrast I'm anti-PR. I don't ...

2011-04-14T09:05:22.085+01:00

Just to add contrast I'm anti-PR. I don't want to vote for a Party I want to vote for an individual. I don't care if they're Conservative, Labour, or Liberal Democrat etc. my (selfish) reasoning is which candidate is best for my constituency.

A second problem to me is that theoretically regional PR lists mean that each elected MP is accountable to a larger group; which conversely means they're held to less account.

Much as I hate to mention that No2AV advert one very small nugget of truth leaked out in that it's always possible to blame the other side. "Oh I'd like to help you in your constituency, but it's all the others stopping me" or "I can't be seen to play favourites" are excuses that can be used for each area in a region.

These MPs would really be even more inclined to just listening to those who shout the loudest.

The fairness or rightness of PR and its siblings is predicated on the notion that people only want to vote for Parties. If that's the case why bother to have individuals stand at all; why not just give us a list of the various Parties and have the winning Central Offices' assign us our MP from their favourites' list?

PR is a removal of a whole level of choice from the general public; why would anyone want that?

"it will settle the argument for a generation...

2011-04-14T08:48:35.641+01:00

"it will settle the argument for a generation whichever side wins. ... It is also in line with our history of incremental voting reform"

One of these things is not like the other.

I'm pro-PR and anti-AV, partly because it's just not that great a system but mainly because a Yes vote would be a huge win for the Lib Dems, and Clegg in particular. In terms of the stability of the coalition, that's the last thing we want.