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Why this election matters more than most (IMHO)
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 01:26 amI am less worried about who wins the election (though I have my preferences) than how they win the election. Essentially, the system we have of sending an elected representative to Parliament evolved and worked properly before the party system evolved. The electorate (such as it was) was represented by someone who would look out for local concerns.
Over the centuries, the electorate has increased as the franchise has widened (and rightly so), but parties have evolved and we now vote for the party rather than the individual (with occasional exceptions). That means that the local link is less important than in theory it ought to be; it is the National party that counts, not the local upon which first past the post essentially rests.
This means that whilst the MP for each area has a local majority, it has nothing to do with that MP unless she/he makes a spectacular gaffe or outstanding contribution and all to do with the National party machine.
This means then, that Nationwide a party can command widespread support that is not reflected locally and whilst polling a spectacular percentage of the National vote, get few seats in return.
It applies most starkly to the Lib Dems right now, but the principle is simple: if we are voting for National parties expounding National policies, the National will should prevail. If we are voting for local personalities on local issues, the local will should prevail - as often it does, hence a large number of Lib Dem councils but few MPs. The local-local criterion works, the local-National doesn't.
It is simply wrong, in my opinion, in 21st century society that an election where one party commands the support of 29% of the electorate can expect to gain 14% of the seats, while another party that has 28% support can gain 43% of the seats.
Democracy is the rule of the people. Coming top, (or winning outright)in an election, when placed third in the popular vote is simply not the rule of the people, therefore it is not democracy.
One of the reasons, I suspect, that fewer and fewer people vote. They don't think their vote will count and I submit that the figures support that belief.
Over the centuries, the electorate has increased as the franchise has widened (and rightly so), but parties have evolved and we now vote for the party rather than the individual (with occasional exceptions). That means that the local link is less important than in theory it ought to be; it is the National party that counts, not the local upon which first past the post essentially rests.
This means that whilst the MP for each area has a local majority, it has nothing to do with that MP unless she/he makes a spectacular gaffe or outstanding contribution and all to do with the National party machine.
This means then, that Nationwide a party can command widespread support that is not reflected locally and whilst polling a spectacular percentage of the National vote, get few seats in return.
It applies most starkly to the Lib Dems right now, but the principle is simple: if we are voting for National parties expounding National policies, the National will should prevail. If we are voting for local personalities on local issues, the local will should prevail - as often it does, hence a large number of Lib Dem councils but few MPs. The local-local criterion works, the local-National doesn't.
It is simply wrong, in my opinion, in 21st century society that an election where one party commands the support of 29% of the electorate can expect to gain 14% of the seats, while another party that has 28% support can gain 43% of the seats.
Democracy is the rule of the people. Coming top, (or winning outright)in an election, when placed third in the popular vote is simply not the rule of the people, therefore it is not democracy.
One of the reasons, I suspect, that fewer and fewer people vote. They don't think their vote will count and I submit that the figures support that belief.
