Electoral Reform

[malvolio]

The 2010 coalition government showed that we got some policies from each - which reflected the result.

Half of which including boundary reform and PR were ditched by the Lib Dumbs in very short order...

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Many struggle with deadlock for years in actuality. But it does somewhat show that the specific system used doesn't really make much difference.

The 2010 coalition government showed that we got some policies from each - which reflected the result.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

FTPT generally gives power beyond the proportions that the country voted for, like Blair getting 150 or so seats more than the tories in 2005 with about 3% more of the vote share.

..and Johnson getting 163 more seats than Labour on 11% more vote - absolutely ridiculous

[d000hg]

I wonder how all these countries with PR manage?

Many struggle with deadlock for years in actuality. But it does somewhat show that the specific system used doesn't really make much difference.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Under PR there’s no way of voting out an MP who isn’t any good. Which is a bit of a flaw.

Presumably you have to suck up to the present party leader to get to the top of the list, so instead of a healthy mix of different views within a party you get a homogenous bunch of yes men.

There's been no way of getting rid of the series of hopeless MPs in various constituencies I've lived in where a nemotode worm wearing a blue rosette would be guaranteed a 20K plus majority.

Your "healthy mix of views within a party" translates to me as "how the flip am I supposed to know whether I can support this party when they can't make their own minds up about what they stand for?"

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Sounds like a recipe for weak coalition governments. No thankyou.

Because the current 80 seat majority which came on 43.6% of the vote, is such a roaring success.

[TestMangler]

Under PR there’s no way of voting out an MP who isn’t any good. Which is a bit of a flaw.

Presumably you have to suck up to the present party leader to get to the top of the list, so instead of a healthy mix of different views within a party you get a homogenous bunch of yes men.

You can still vote out a constituency MP under a lot of PR systems. You cannot, like you say, prevent a party leader from reinstating that MP via 2nd preference lists. The issue there, is with the party leader who does that, rather than with the voting system.

[hugebrain]

Under PR there’s no way of voting out an MP who isn’t any good. Which is a bit of a flaw.

Presumably you have to suck up to the present party leader to get to the top of the list, so instead of a healthy mix of different views within a party you get a homogenous bunch of yes men.

[Eirikur]

Regardless of how you do PR, its weakness is either you end up with a totalitarian government (unlikely but possible) or one that is dependent on coalitions which are inherently unstable.

At least FPTP gives a government with a clear mandate and a united opposition.

I wonder how all these countries with PR manage?
clear mandate based on the will of a minority

[WTFH]

Regardless of how you do PR, its weakness is either you end up with a totalitarian government (unlikely but possible) or one that is dependent on coalitions which are inherently unstable.

At least FPTP gives a government with a clear mandate and a united opposition.

FPTP means the opposition is a coalition, not united.