tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post6012033815826926927..comments2024-03-28T22:32:50.562+00:00Comments on Liberal England: Nick Clegg: Bar the gates of WestminsterJonathan Calderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730157683743989696noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-30055352467850663722009-05-29T00:05:46.936+01:002009-05-29T00:05:46.936+01:00I find it hard to get excited about this as well.
...I find it hard to get excited about this as well.<br /><br />Reasons:<br /><br />The use of the term "AV+" right at the start does just what we don't want to do - turn it into a technical discussion of interest only to, well Liberal Democrats. We really have to learn that while we get excited over these things, most people don't.<br /><br />It starts off looking exciting, but when you look at it in more detail it's boring constitutional stuff, which most people - correctly - won't think will solve the deeper malaise about democratic politics in this country. <br /><br />The use throughout of the Nick Clegg image betrays it right away as really politics as usual - Westminster politicians talking down to us. My feeling is that changing the way we, the voluntary side of politics, do things will be more important than constitutional changes - which I do still support. I.e. NOT playing politics as the man in Westminster speaking down to us.<br /><br />STV is clearly the electoral system which gives people the most power over who represents them. We do need to find a way which sells it as such but doesn't get bogged down in technical details. We made a mistake when we agreed not to quibble about the precise form of PR used in the Euro-elections - asa result many commentators really do believe this sort of fixed party list system is what we in general endorse as the "Proportional Representation" we have always called for. <br /><br />So perhaps let's say "An electoral system which is all about voting for individuals, not for parties, and which gives YOU the most choice".Matthew Huntbachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18255872047710686115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-68312259927226008692009-05-28T17:45:21.971+01:002009-05-28T17:45:21.971+01:00We alreadyt have an elected first chamber, so why ...We alreadyt have an elected first chamber, so why do we need an electred sevcond one? If it is elected, it should be elected at different times to the commons, using a different voting system, and not wholely elected.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-15111810840627101712009-05-28T13:04:04.113+01:002009-05-28T13:04:04.113+01:00An important detail: it's AV+ not AV that Nick is ...An important detail: it's AV+ not AV that Nick is calling for, which is a much more proportional system.<br /><br />There is of course the separate AV+ vs STV debate (we prefer STV, but is calling for that going to work? is calling for AV+ the best way to get something changed?) but it's a much better trade-off than if it were AV vs STV.Mark Packhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596137350950820090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-30229798093730669792009-05-28T08:32:30.068+01:002009-05-28T08:32:30.068+01:00You really can't bring yourself to give him an unb...You really can't bring yourself to give him an unbarbed compliment can you ;-)!!Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08421348487212137159noreply@blogger.com