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  • #1

    Proportional Rep

    Ok, sorry if this has already been covered, I havent been here for a while and cant find it on a quick glance of the first pages.

    It is widely acknolwedged that the UK election system does not deliver seats in direct proportion to votes. Many would say it is downright scandalously in favour of the ruling party here (Labour).

    Yet nobody seems to want Proportional rep either?

    I believe we need to find a balance and my suggestion would be to have 20% of seats decided by regional (ie east midlands,North West ect) Proportional representation. This would be as well as some tough review of the current constituency boundaries (ie Newcastle not split into 20 seats!).

    I think this would avoid the typical pitfalls of PR (like coilition govts) while helping bring the balance back together. It would also fairly see minority parties who have large pockets of pockets in a region (ie BNP in North west) get the seat or 2 in parliament they deserve.

    Thoughts?
    Up The Millers
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  • #2
    Probably a good idea. Perhaps having larger regions so that you can have multiple reps, but within that region reps are chosen by PR.

    I don't have a problem with colaition governments, but I know that people want to have someone to who is directly responsible to them.
    Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

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    • #3
      There's nothing wrong with coalition governments. It means that the bastards actually have to do some work for a change.
      Only feebs vote.

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      • #4
        I want to vote for a person, not a party. I'd like to have an MP represent me, ie. to be in their constituency, so I know who to contact if I want my voice heard in parliament. I'd like independants to have a shot, if the people of their area believe them to be better than the alternatives put up by parties, and most importantly, I'd like some form of stability in government, which is best achieved through first past the post.

        Hence I like the current system, even though it means the party I support (Lib Dems) has the most votes/seats won of the three main parties - IIRC Labour had around 24000 votes for every seat they won, Tories about 44000 and the Lib Dems with over 90000.
        Smile
        For though he was master of the world, he was not quite sure what to do next
        But he would think of something
        "Hm. I suppose I should get my waffle a santa hat." - Kuciwalker

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        • #5
          Hi,
          Many people see them as too weak over here, and yes, they like to have a 'local' MP.

          To explain what I meant by the Regions :

          At the moment there is around 650 seats in parliament, all decided by the winner in each constituency. My proposed system would be a little different.

          There would be 600 'normal' seats in the new parlament (some of the seats are now too small and there 50 could easily be lost). There would then be an 'extra' 120 seats decided by way of Proportional Rep, multiple for each region depending on the population levles (much like we have for the MEP's).

          The winner of each individual seat will be returned to Parlament as normal, he'll be the 'local' MP for his people. The other 120 seats would be split among the regions and allocated on a party basis on the % of total votes they got in that Region.

          for Example, In the East Midlands, there may be about 60 regular seats, and about 12 of the 'extra' seats for the region. Lidems might only get about 10 of the 'regular' seats with 30% of the vote, but would get 4 of additional seats. A minority party, like Veritas, would probably not any of the regular seats but if it has 8% of the vote of more should secure at least one of the PR seats.

          People's corrospondance should be affected, they can still contact thier local MP for issues. If they feel however that thier issue is more of a regional or even national one however they have the option of contacting thier regional MP's body. They can contact any or all of them, it's up to the citizen. It also might give a conservative voter, for example, in the North East the chance to write to his regional conservative MP if he feels his local Labour candidate will ignore him (highely probably up there).
          Up The Millers

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          • #6
            Hello
            Speaking of Erith:

            "It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda Smith

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            • #7
              I want to vote for a person, not a party. I'd like to have an MP represent me, ie. to be in their constituency, so I know who to contact if I want my voice heard in parliament.


              Not everyone wants what you want. You are in the minority: most people vote for parties.

              But there is an obvious solution to your gripe: Mixed Member Proportional Representation (what we have in NZ). Half of the seats are chosen the old fashioned way and the other half got to make up the proportions.
              Only feebs vote.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Agathon
                I want to vote for a person, not a party. I'd like to have an MP represent me, ie. to be in their constituency, so I know who to contact if I want my voice heard in parliament.


                Not everyone wants what you want. You are in the minority: most people vote for parties.

                But there is an obvious solution to your gripe: Mixed Member Proportional Representation (what we have in NZ). Half of the seats are chosen the old fashioned way and the other half got to make up the proportions.
                There is an easy solution to that. Here in DK we have full PR ; many people votes for parties but have the possibillity to cast that vote for a particular member of that party.
                With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

                Steven Weinberg

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                • #9
                  DK sounds like decay...no coincidence methinks
                  Speaking of Erith:

                  "It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda Smith

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Provost Harrison
                    DK sounds like decay...no coincidence methinks
                    Well, as long as we have relatively low unemployment, even the poor are pretty rich, free med, free educ, lots of cable tv etc, then I will rather "decay" than what happens to the rest of the world. Admitted, decay is a common problem, the richer you get, so DK is in high danger - it get even worse when common people get influence .
                    With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

                    Steven Weinberg

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                    • #11
                      When it comes to representing the ideas of the people, PR pwns every other electoral process.

                      This is why I expect most Brits to hate the very idea.
                      "I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
                      "I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
                      "I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis

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                      • #12
                        Easy solution-

                        Keep the Commons as they are.
                        Scrap the Lords, and replace it with a fully democratic body elected by PR. The best of both worlds.
                        The genesis of the "evil Finn" concept- Evil, evil Finland

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                        • #13
                          Hi Provist, thank you for your welcome, I remember your profound posts when I was here last

                          BlackCat , at Denmark, where people mostly live along the Eastern coastline in caves fighting amongst the tribes or holding great beer festivals... fantastic!

                          Laz , Well, I think the Commons are the Important chamber here, I don't think many people pay much attention to the Lords, I don't think I could name a dozen members!. You have to admit that gaining ~55% of the seats on a ~35% vote is a bit disproprotionate?
                          Up The Millers

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Provost Harrison
                            DK sounds like decay...no coincidence methinks
                            No wonder something is rotten in Denmark.
                            Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

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                            • #15
                              Actually, we have only caves in very small areas of jutland, so I guess that your general knowledge is pretty low

                              Anyway, we have good beer fesivals
                              With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

                              Steven Weinberg

                              Comment

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