Beware of PR, it can be a disaster
Liberal Democrat Campaigner in Nanpantan Ward Learn more
by David Walker on 7 May, 2015
On various Lib Dem and other web sites we are seeing calls for a better electoral system.
Some are advocating proportional representation.
Proportional representation seems fair and reasonable, but is dangerous. The most extreme form of PR is used in Israel. At elections the vote is for a party. In the recent elections the party with the largest number of votes, Likud did not have an overall majority. It has sealed an agreement with the 8 Members of the Knesset who are members of “Jewish Home”, which advocates permanent annexation of parts of the occupied West bank.
This seriously diminishes the freedom of Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a solution for the future of Palestine and a reduction of one of the tensions which fuel Jihadism. He has had to offer the Ministry of Justice to “Jewish Home’ and knows that any move to reach an agreement with the Palestinians will be vetoed by “Jewish Home”
It remains clear that the best electoral system is the single representative MP who has local support and may or may not support the leader of their party. The only sensible improvement on this system is the Alternative Vote, and I am sure that eventually we will recognise the benefits of this system and adopt it.
DW
2 Comments
Alternative vote is the worst of all the systems.
Mixed member proportional representation – as it used in Germany – is by far the best replacement candidate. It encourages candidates who truly represent their local constituencies, whilst ensuring overall proportionality.
Thanks for your comments. I have investigated the mixed Member Proportional Representation as used in Germany. It does allow the government to be directed by someone who has never canvasssed or spoken to the electors. Helmut Kohl was Chancellor, and was good at getting to the top of the party list, but never got the approval of a local constituency. However it is fair.
We should investigate the French system, with a run off election between the candidates with the two highest scores. This avoids the problem of splitting the opposition and could keep the local lnk, but make every vote count.
It is time for a serious consideration of all the options.
DW