Tuesday 5th May
Well, the election looks too close to call. And already there are claims of ‘no legitimacy’ from the Tories if Labour are ‘propped up’ by the SNP. But I contend that there is a question of legitimacy for whichever party or combination of parties makes it over the line on May 8th. Blair holds the dubious record of lowest share of the vote when he won on 36% (but still a big majority) and even Maggie only got 42% a couple of times; the days of 50% were back in the fifties. It is quite possible with UKIP now in the mix for some M.P.s to be elected with just over 20% of the vote – which whoever gets in is hardly democracy. But all the various Proportional Representation systems are both far too complicated and tend to promote people’s second choices. And why in any case should we be forced to have a second choice when we want our first choice to win. So, how do still retain a geographical link with our MP and give all those other (losing) voters a say in who gets elected.
The answer is my solution – Super Constituencies. Ten times the size of our present ones and in as geographically similar area as possible but electing ten Members of Parliament each. Each party or independents would have a list of ten possible candidates but voters could vote for only one, either a party or an individual if standing as an Independent. Ten percent of the vote gets you an M.P. Parties would have to list their potential M.P.s in order beforehand and each ten percent would see one elected. So, in a Superconstituency which reflected the polls we might expect 3 (or 4) Labour, 3 (or 4) Tory and one LibDem, one UKIP and maybe a Green M.P. Almost every voter would see their vote count and have an M.P. who represented their views. The House of Commons would undoubtedly more accurately reflect the political views of the electorate.
Of course it would mean almost permanent Coalitions, but as this would be a given there would be an end to the present farce of the big two parties refusing to even contemplate not winning a majority. Hopefully parties would start presenting policies which other parties could agree to, and stop declaring that they and only they can save the NHS etc: Even I, a lifelong Labour supporter, do agree slightly with some of the Tory ideas, though I will never vote for them. Most of us live in Constituencies where the M.P. (or the party they come from) never changes, so many many voters never get an M.P. of their choice and never will. If nothing else this election proves that ‘first past the post’ itself has no legitimacy.