Proportional representation, yes or no?
Proportional representation, yes or no?

Poll: Proportional representation, yes or no?

Total Members Polled: 180

Yes: 48%
No: 52%
Author
Discussion

Ayahuasca

Original Poster:

27,584 posts

309 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Ironic that there could be a 'first past the post' style referendum for PR, if there were how would you vote?

Mattt

16,664 posts

248 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
I'm in favour, but first we need to get rid of Scotland, NI & Wales from the process.

ewenm

28,506 posts

275 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
What form of PR are you suggesting?

Ayahuasca

Original Poster:

27,584 posts

309 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
ewenm said:
What form of PR are you suggesting?
Any form, but I guess STV is likely to be the option on offer.

Andy Zarse

10,870 posts

277 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
PR is a politician's trick and only the terminally gullible, LibDims and thier leftie ilk, would think it a good idea.

Ayahuasca

Original Poster:

27,584 posts

309 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
It is intrinsically fairer than FPTP, I mean if 10% of the population like party X then they deserve to be represented.




Andy Zarse

10,870 posts

277 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
It is intrinsically fairer than FPTP, I mean if 10% of the population like party X then they deserve to be represented.
What? Like the BNP? fk the minority parties, they're all loonies, lefties, Nazis,religious nutjobs or have borderline mental health issues. Like I say, fk 'em.

The real Apache

39,731 posts

314 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Andy Zarse said:
PR is a politician's trick and only the terminally gullible, LibDims and thier leftie ilk, would think it a good idea.
I might think it's a good idea if I understood what the fook it is, care to enlighten a thickie?

ShadownINja

80,084 posts

312 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Andy Zarse said:
Ayahuasca said:
It is intrinsically fairer than FPTP, I mean if 10% of the population like party X then they deserve to be represented.
What? Like the BNP? fk the minority parties, they're all loonies, lefties, Nazis,religious nutjobs or have borderline mental health issues. Like I say, fk 'em.
We'll have more Green party MPs in power, that's for sure. Electoral reform is fine... if every time they vote, I got in power and had ultimate rule. thumbup

Andy Zarse

10,870 posts

277 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
The real Apache said:
Andy Zarse said:
PR is a politician's trick and only the terminally gullible, LibDims and thier leftie ilk, would think it a good idea.
I might think it's a good idea if I understood what the fook it is, care to enlighten a thickie?
Time doesn't allow.

However, what it means is that you can never remove the Govt and basically have a permanent coallition, like the one everybody's up in arms about now. The Libdims like the idea because it's the only way they can get any permanent power.

Fancy a hundred years of Blair and Brown? Thought not... smile

Northern Munkee

5,354 posts

230 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Looking at the simpleton anarcho-class hipee warriors, who have band wagoned jumped on to a populist electoral reform protest outside Clegg's politburo meeting, I'm afraid immediately makes me want to stick with the status quo, it's not perfect, but every system has it flaws. It sounds/looks like it may get ugly... Beware the mob, egged on by the 24 hour rolling news, no analysis/reason, media. Rather worrying sight of kids wearing purple martyr like head bands on these direct mob action types. Frightening how naive middle class kids, or working class kids with a university (un)education.

For instance. Mouth piece Billy Bragg (wrote a couple of good songs) made great play of two things 75% of the electorates' votes didn't count (only the marginals, I can at least understand that argument) and two (for reasons I can't figure out) he blamed the electoral system for giving the BNP the opportunity to campaign in Dagenham or wherever Griffin stood... Of course the BBC kunesberg failed to point out to Bragg that under 100% PR, which is his logical argument, the BNP would get seats in Parliament! The prospect of coalition governments being the norm, puts me in mind of Israel, where right wing nutters, or like green, or left wing or nationalist minority nutters here would be prepared to hold the normal stable government to ransom.

Edited by Northern Munkee on Saturday 8th May 15:40

plasticpig

12,932 posts

255 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
On the plus side of PR it would show what a shabby (if it were not obvious already) lot the politicians are. Britain has no real experience of successful consensus politics at a national level apart from when on a war footing.

There are very few politicians on either side of the fence who are genuinely honest and really care about the country. Most are on an ego trip.

Northern Munkee

5,354 posts

230 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
It's all getting rather hysterical. I understand a respected labour MP has called for Brown to go, so a deal can be done Lib Lab, all happening too quickly. I fear the outside world (and perhaps the markets) won't care for this hysteria, and immaturity. And I can't see Labour agreeing to full PR either. AV does not do much for Liberals, although it guarantees Labour 250 seats in Parliament...

Andy Zarse

10,870 posts

277 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
plasticpig said:
On the plus side of PR it would show what a shabby (if it were not obvious already) lot the politicians are. Britain has no real experience of successful consensus politics at a national level apart from when on a war footing.

There are very few politicians on either side of the fence who are genuinely honest and really care about the country. Most are on an ego trip.
Shabby lot they indeed are, but we'd never be unable to do anything about them under PR. Look at the cronyism in say the Welsh Assembly which is locally known as the Taffia. Surely you can't want that on a massive scale in Westminster.

The real Apache

39,731 posts

314 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Northern Munkee said:
It's all getting rather hysterical. I understand a respected labour MP has called for Brown to go, so a deal can be done Lib Lab, all happening too quickly. I fear the outside world (and perhaps the markets) won't care for this hysteria, and immaturity. And I can't see Labour agreeing to full PR either. AV does not do much for Liberals, although it guarantees Labour 250 seats in Parliament...
Sorry but you cant put the word 'respected' in the same sentence as 'Labour MP', it makes my teeth itch

Edited by The real Apache on Saturday 8th May 15:59

ewenm

28,506 posts

275 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Northern Munkee said:
It's all getting rather hysterical. I understand a respected labour MP has called for Brown to go, so a deal can be done Lib Lab, all happening too quickly. I fear the outside world (and perhaps the markets) won't care for this hysteria, and immaturity. And I can't see Labour agreeing to full PR either. AV does not do much for Liberals, although it guarantees Labour 250 seats in Parliament...
If Labour found a new leader and formed a coalition with the Lib Dems we'd have a PM who didn't even appear in the Prime Ministerial debates! Lib-Lab is too much of a poison chalice for the Libs IMO - propping up a "losing" party.

Northern Munkee

5,354 posts

230 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
The real Apache said:
Northern Munkee said:
It's all getting rather hysterical. I understand a respected labour MP has called for Brown to go, so a deal can be done Lib Lab, all happening too quickly. I fear the outside world (and perhaps the markets) won't care for this hysteria, and immaturity. And I can't see Labour agreeing to full PR either. AV does not do much for Liberals, although it guarantees Labour 250 seats in Parliament...
Sorry but you cant put the owrd 'respected' in the same sentence as 'Labour MP', it makes my teeth itch
It was a BBC reporter that said it, I assume that that includes an unsaid preface of "relatively" (and only in reference to other labour MPs), speaking as a constituent who's vote did not count in the re election of the troughers apologist, death bed convertor and 15 year absentee MP, Stuart Bell, Middlesbrough South. Can't believe the gullibility of fellow constituents.

plasticpig

12,932 posts

255 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Andy Zarse said:
plasticpig said:
On the plus side of PR it would show what a shabby (if it were not obvious already) lot the politicians are. Britain has no real experience of successful consensus politics at a national level apart from when on a war footing.

There are very few politicians on either side of the fence who are genuinely honest and really care about the country. Most are on an ego trip.
Shabby lot they indeed are, but we'd never be unable to do anything about them under PR. Look at the cronyism in say the Welsh Assembly which is locally known as the Taffia. Surely you can't want that on a massive scale in Westminster.
The problem as I see it is political parties exist to represent interest groups. MP's of these parties do not represent the views of their constituents but the views of there party. I would like to see political parties banned altogether and have people stand for election on their personal merits and beliefs rather than dogmatic political ideology.



B17NNS

18,506 posts

277 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Equal sized constituencies (in terms of voter numbers) yes. PR nope.

SmoothRB

1,700 posts

202 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
It is intrinsically fairer than FPTP, I mean if 10% of the population like party X then they deserve to be represented.



It's just a slogan yeah.