I have always been a bit of an agnostic about PR, I can see its advantages and its disadvantages.
Even under first past the post Plaid Cymru with a very small vote (in UK terms) claims to have had major achievements and to have punched far and above its weight in Westminster. If this is true there is no need for PR. Why should a party that claims that it has punched far above its democratic mandate under FPTP get even more power under PR?
On the other hand I can see the democratic deficit in the fact that the Conservatives in Scotland got 17% of the vote but fewer than 1% of the seats earlier this year! This is an example of a democratic deficit that has disenfranchised the voice of Scottish Tories that PR might equalise!
I understand the arguments for and the arguments against, but for the arguments to be realistic they must be based on a true belief in fairness.
The fact that the AV referendum is to be held on the same day as the Scottish, Welsh and NI General Elections is an exercise in unfairness.
Firstly because a proportion of the population who have more than average experience of alternative voting will have a disproportionate turnout!
Secondly because the Lib Dems froze out the SNP and Plaid Cymru in the Westminster elections, because they had much more coverage than the Nationalist parties did on an UK level. Holding the referendum on the same day is a despicable attempt to ensure that Nick Clegg gets as much, if not much more, coverage on the widest TV networks during the Scottish and Welsh General elections as Alex Salmond and Ieuan Wyn get!
As I said, I am an agnostic about alternative voting systems, but I will be voting NO in the AV referendum, because there is one thing that I do know about fair voting – you don't get a fair vote through Gerrymandering!
"Even under first past the post Plaid Cymru with a very small vote (in UK terms) claims to have had major achievements and to have punched far and above its weight in Westminster. If this is true there is no need for PR. Why should a party that claims that it has punched far above its democratic mandate under FPTP get even more power under PR?"
ReplyDeleteWith respect Alwyn (and I agree with you), democratic people should advocate a voting system based on the good of the country rather than which party it might benefit. A truly PR system would endow Wales with a more pluralistic democracy by making every vote count.
But this isn't obviously about Welsh democracy, it's about the British system which at the moment includes Wales.
I agree with you about the timing of the AV referendum- it is profoundly ignorant, undemocratic and colonialist of them.
AV is also NOT a PR system. It is not proportional. On that basis I will be opposing AV, as well. I might abstain from the vote or vote against AV, but on no count will I vote yes, because I don't believe in AV.
quite right, even as a person fully in favour of PR, the Libdems make me sick and deserve a kicking, so I too will vote no. As well as slagging them off all around Newport
ReplyDeleteAV is worse than FPTP and if implemented will practically push all but the big three parties out of parliament.
ReplyDeleteAV is neither a stepping stone to PR nor a slippery slope.
ReplyDeleteI judge AV on its own merits - and I won't be voting for it.