Electoral reform rebels hold fire – for now
By Alex Stevenson Conservative opponents to the coalition’s electoral reform plans registered dissent but did not rebel in large numbers in Monday evening’s Commons vote. The voting system and constituencies bill, which paves the way for a referendum to be held next May on shifting to the alternative vote (AV) system, passed its second reading […]
Parties on defensive over voting reform
By Rebecca Burns Leading government and opposition figures have come forward to defend their stance on the voting reform bill following Labour’s U-turn. Prime minister David Cameron, shadow deputy prime minister Jack Straw, Labour leadership contender Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes have all hit back at opposition accusations. Labour pledged to […]
Analysis: The brutal battle to reform elections
Electoral reform is set to transcend its spiritual home of political anoraks and policy wonks and be thrust into the public domain. Don’t underestimate its important to the coalition – and the future of British politics. By Samuel Dale But will the coverage penetrate through to genuine public interest? Does Britain like its electoral system […]
Johnson ‘may do a Davis’
By politics.co.uk staff Shadow home secretary Alan Johnson could copy David Davis by quitting the Commons to fight a single-issue by-election. Mr Davis, who was in the same position when he dramatically resigned his post over the issue of pre-charge detention, has not returned to frontline politics since. But the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported Mr […]
Comment: PR is less representative than you think
Proportional representation is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. By Azeem Ibrahim Now that we have a coalition, electoral reform is more likely than ever. And yet the post-electoral dithering and huddling is a better argument against proportional representation (PR) than we have had in a long time. […]
Public uncomfortable with hung parliament
By politics.co.uk staff Only three per cent of voters are happy with the result of the general election, a poll has suggested. Research from Sky News, which questioned 1,814 people from May 7th to May 10th, found nearly two-thirds said the result of the election left them feeling pessimistic about prospects for the next six […]
Wasted: The 15.7m votes which didn’t count
By Alex Stevenson Electoral reform campaigners have demanded change after politics.co.uk research showed over half of voters in last week’s general election did not get their preferred MP. Of the nearly 30 million votes cast on May 6th, nearly 14 million backed the candidate who was eventually chosen as that constituency’s MP. But 15.7 million, […]
Poll shows support for PR
By politics.co.uk staff Nearly half the public wants some form of proportional representation for future elections, according to a new poll. An ICM survey for the Sunday Telegraph shows that 48% backed a new voting system, with 39% wanting to keep first past the post. A third of those polled favoured a Conservative /Liberal Democrat […]
PR not a precondition for Clegg
By Sam Dale Nick Clegg has said electoral reform is not a “precondition” for entering into a coalition. He made the comments after a leaked document to the Sun newspaper revealed Lib Dem demands in a hung parliament include electoral reform and six cabinet positions. In an interview with GMTV, Mr Clegg responded: “I have […]
Clegg: We will replace Labour on the left
By politics.co.uk staff Nick Clegg is not looking at a hung parliament, he is looking at walking through the door to Number 10, he has said. In an interview with the Times the Liberal Democrat leader, whose party is second in most opinion polls, said the election is now a choice between “two competing pitches […]
