So this is it. Just look at the figures of the previous election, and tell me who should have won:
Votes% Seats% MPs
Labour 35.2 55.0 355
Cons 32.4 30.7 198
LibDem 22 9.6 62
The number of seats in no way reflects the number of votes, Labour go only 2.8% votes more than the Conservatives, but a ruling majority of 157 seats!
I am not advocating complete PR, but we do have to bring the gap closer, a party that wins more votes than the others must have more say in the government of our country.
2010
And now in 2010 we have these numbers
Votes% Seats% MPs
Labour 39 40 258
Cons 36.1 47 306
LibDem 23 8.7 57
Lab + LibDem = 48.7%
Cons + LibDem = 55.7%
It is clear who should govern our country, matching as far as possible policies. And abandoning, even high principled, ones that cannot be agreed - Like PR...
Change? Two things have to happen.
1 We have to abandon the Whip system, where MPs do not have a free vote (as campaigned by you and me) but have to vote according to party lines. This is a strangle hold on democracy. We vote for politicians as much as for manifestos.
2 We have to recognise things in common in party's policies and get those things done with priority. Then have open debate about other proposals.
What to do?
In this election there are two things everyone agrees on:
Reduce debt. Both government (Visible + PFI + Pensions) and personal (Mortgage + Credit cards).
Increase civil liberties. Cut CCTV, no to ID cards, severely cut the quangos, reduce interference in our lives. Stop social engineering by law-making.
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