New Labour promises choice in everything, except who to vote for. The last election swung on just 200,000 votes in a handful of marginals. The derelict first-past-the-post electoral system leaves the nation's fate to a tiny proportion of the politically indifferent, disenfranchising everyone else. Crass election messages try to catch the fleeting attention of a few bored people, the only ones that matter.
A proportional system means every vote counts, no longer piled up in safe seats or wasted in hopeless seats. The two near memberless old parties have the system stitched up and voters are on strike. Tony Blair won just 25% of the electorate in 2005. Mrs Thatcher turned the country hard right, yet never had a majority, as Conservatives dominated the last century, despite a social democratic majority.
Labour tribalists block reform and now they will reap the whirlwind. The weary New Labour coalition doesn't represent its members. A promise to break the system and let new parties flourish, gaining votes according to popularity, working in coalitions better weighted to the popular vote would show a new trust in the electorate. (And make coalition with Liberal Democrats a good outcome from the next election).
MY COMMENT: Polly says that the derelict first-past-the-post electoral system leaves our fate to 'a tiny proportion of the politically indifferent'. Right on. Guess who doesn't want it to change - Cameron and Brown.
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