DO WE NEED VOTING REFORM? A READER WRITES

I was asked to do an 'op ed' piece for the local newspaper on whether we need voting reform in 250 words. Well, 250 words is never going to cover what could be a PhD. thesis but this is what I submitted.

The simple answer is yes. 

The newly formed coalition government of Britain is an anomaly because it can claim the support of more than 50% of British voters.  Such an outcome does not normally happen under our electoral system.

In 2005 the Labour government took office with 37% of the votes cast, which is a pretty normal result for Britain.  What that meant in practice was that for the past five years the views of 63% of the population who voted were ignored as Labour ruled alone.  If you also remember that only 61% of people voted in 2005 that means that the Labour government had the support of fewer than a third of voters overall. Two thirds of British voters were simply not listened to.

Locally, the system means that in most constituencies, like Henley, the winner can be elected with just a third of votes, so that the views of two thirds of voters are ignored.

Such a result just isn't fair.  Our system should deliver a Parliament which reflects the range of views in our country.  If we had a fairer electoral system the numbers of MPs in the House of Commons would better match the votes cast for each party.  That would mean that we would have more Green MPs, some UKIP MPs - and yes, some BNP MPs.  A proportional system might deliver some unpleasant results like this but they could be addressed in the design of a new system.

A fairer voting system may lead to more power sharing but it is democratic. As the new Conservative Prime Minister has demonstrated, politicians adapt to new realities remarkably quickly. This year we have a majority government. Under a fairer voting system we could have a majority government every time.

INTERESTING NUMBERS WHEN YOU CONSIDER THEM

There is an interesting article in the Independent today from Steve Richards, one of those commentators worth reading as he doesn't have an agenda of his own to pursue. He is convinced that an alliance with the Conservatives would not deliver electoral reform but would result in an early election which could see us fall back further. He favours an alliance with Labour to bring in voting reform as he says another hung parliament is highly unlikely.

Looking at the BBC website the arithmetic is interesting. Labour and the Lib Dems would have 315 votes together. If the Green and Alliance MPs were persuaded to come on board, the arithmetic is quite encouraging. The Conservatives and their likely allies, the DUP, could muster 314 votes to this 317. Once again, if we assume that the nationalist parties would be sympathetic to a change in the voting system which would be likely to deliver them increased support in future, and we remember that the 5 Sinn Fein MPs do not sit in Parliament.the chances of voting reform in this Parliament are quite good. Compare this with the Conservative offer of a commission...

Steve Richards points out how unpalatable it would be to prop up the Labour government but he thinks this is a once in a generation opportunity to change things. He has a point.

Fascinating times but also potentially desperate ones for the future of our party. Nick's up to it but I don't envy him the task.

NICK WOWS CROWD IN LONDON

Nick Clegg has just spoken to a demonstration in central London on the subject of electoral reform. He received a rapturous reception and he clearly has the support of thousands of people who want the voting system to change.

Can David Cameron resist this kind of pressure in the name of a minority of voters who elected his candidates in a minority of seats, which has meant that he has failed in his ambition to become Prime Minister?

It feels like history going on out there and it seems the Liberal Democrats are at the heart of this quite remarkable movement.

Are we in dreamland?