A letter to my Tory friends about PR
Dear Tory friends,
you might not normally listen to what I’ve got to say, given that I’m a liberal and so on, but I have something to say to you about proportional representation.
You want to keep first-past-the-post, because you think it’s the best chance for you to form a government once in a while.
You might have heard about Blair’s idea that PR would lead to a “progressive century”. This is based on the idea that Labour and the LibDems normally get a majority of the votes together, so logically they should always get a majority together under PR.
It’s nonsense, though.
If that was the case, most European countries would have a permanent government, but that doesn’t happen anywhere. In all democratic countries, power sometimes changes hands.
Perhaps that will require another right-of-centre party to emerge that can attract voters from the left-of-centre parties. Perhaps the the left-of-centre government will just screw up so badly that a majority of the population will start supporting the Conservatives.
The main thing is that PR will not keep either side out of power permanently.
Of course the frequency of Tory governments might change, but which party is it that FPTP actually is favouring?
Labour.
At the moment, Labour can get a majority in parliament with about 30% of the votes, while the Tories need close to 40%.
As an aside, let me point out that most observers would say that sociologically Britain is not less conservative than Denmark, which had right-of-centre governments from 1982 to 1993, and again from 2001. Surely that’s better than what the Tories achieved here under FPTP?
Also, remember that there are different versions of PR. Some of them would favour Labour slightly, others the LibDems, and still others the Tories. You are in a strong position to choose which one.
I hope this will make you reconsider your opposition to PR.
All the best,
your friend
But unlike the LibDems, we Tories are not arguing over this for vested interests in helping us to achieve power more often. We are in fact arguing for the sake of the country, which benefits from strong, decisive government.
As usual, the Liberal has missed the point.
Again, evidence does not support this. Coalition governments in other countries are normally very decisive.
Interesting times. Nick Clegg is talking to Labour and Gordon Brown has bowed out.
So even if the Lib Dems aligned with Labour, there would will be no Labour Leader.
Alternative Vote – not far enough.
Proportional Representation – needs Lib Dems / Labour / Independents and Nats to deliver.
If that happens its bye bye David Cameron as well as Gordon Brown.
Who would play cards with Nick Clegg eh?
It was unfortunately very clear that Labour couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver on a proper PR referendum.
I’m now hoping that the LibCon coalition will convince more people that PR would lead to a better political system.