Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruffy
Yes it was very important but it was also wasted (IMHO): It wasn't close to anything like a proportional representation system really.
If the 2011 referendum had simply asked whether we should ditch the current FPTP system but left the debate about what to replace it with more open then I personally think the result might have been different and it could have been a game changer. But only offering the AV alternative was a problem/mistake - when I worked it through I concluded that it was just a minor variant of FPTP (with the difference that the 'post' is only planted when the 'first' would be carrying over 50% of votes cast). Importantly, there was still next to no chance the minority candidates would get any sort of elected representation in parliament so I didn't see it changing our overall outcomes a great deal.
My current personal position is that the obsession with having a 'majority' is not necessarily a good thing. IMHO, democracy is not the same as majority-rule (or perhaps better put, not the same as mob-rule, which is what it often seems to get distorted to). I want the good ideas to flourish - wherever they come from - not just the dominant ones or the ones shouted out by the loudest idiots.
On the flip side, I'm still not convinced pure proportional representation is automatically a good thing. With our dominant party-opposed system, there's a risk that PR just results in the big players cancelling each other out and the 'power' then being left with the minority who would become the ones with the real ability to sway the balance. So PR itself is not a 'silver bullet' solution, it still needs culture/attitude shift to make it work well, otherwise we could change and end up with a long period of stagnation whilst political classes work that out (because they're all so good at compromise and collaboration aren't they?  ) |
This was probably the biggest failure of the Libdems in living memory. They were negotiating with Cameron to form a coalition and they had a once in a generation opportunity to really break the mold but blew it. Part of the deal was this referendum but they agreed to ballot on the AV system which nobody wanted, including the Libdems. And of course the result was "no". Typical Libdems who lack that killer instinct to go for it when required and is why they will never win an election.