|
London Times
[Editor's
note: Supporter of proportional representation and instant runoff
voting in the United Kingdom are fighting hard to change the voting
system for national elections to the House of Commons after regional
successes. ]
"Reform 'primitive' voting system"
From Lord Jenkins and Others
May 25
In 1998,
as members of the In-dependent Commission on the Voting System, we
recommended changing Britain's primitive first-past-the-post voting
system to make it palpably fairer.
The
adoption of the reforms agreed by the commission would mean that
every vote counted, that of the voter in the safe inner-city
constituency as well as that of the middle-England voters in the
marginals. It would mean that there were no longer vast swaths of
the country where major political parties have no representatives.
It would prevent parties winning overwhelming majorities in the
Commons when they had failed to win overwhelming majorities in
votes.
And yet
the reforms, including a more proportional system, would enable
single-party governments to be formed when the people had spoken
with a decisive voice.
We
recognised at the time that this new system would require a
substantial revision of existing constituency boundaries. It could
not therefore have been introduced in time for the current general
election.
However as
that election progresses, the disadvantages of the present system
are suddenly more manifest. In particular, there is a real prospect
that turnout will plunge, as many voters see that their votes will
not count.
When the
results are assessed, together with the new systems in force for
other elections in the United Kingdom, we trust that the force of
our arguments will become even more evident. We look to the
Government to hold a referendum on our proposals as early as
possible in the next Parliament. We dare to hope that this will be
the last general election ever fought under first-past-the-post.
Yours
faithfully,
ROY JENKINS, ROBERT ALEXANDER, JOHN CHALCOT,
JOYCE GOULD, DAVID LIPSEY, c/o Make Votes Count, 6 Chancel Street,
SE1 0UU. |
