THE CASE FOR PRTHE CASE FOR PR

Most points are from Vernon Most points are from Vernon Bogdanor “What is Bogdanor “What is

Proportional Proportional Representation?”Representation?”

• Describe the arguments for and Describe the arguments for and against electing the house of against electing the house of commons by proportional commons by proportional representation.representation.

• Arguments for FPTP (including those Arguments for FPTP (including those against PR)against PR)

• Arguments for PR (including those Arguments for PR (including those against FPTP)against FPTP)

Part 1 Myths about Part 1 Myths about PRPR

Rebuttal points Rebuttal points

1. Some fear the central party but - the 1. Some fear the central party but - the central party (that holds the balance) central party (that holds the balance)

will become a pivotwill become a pivot• They would become a They would become a

RESPONSIBLE pivot RESPONSIBLE pivot and would be held to and would be held to account by the account by the electorate.electorate.

• It would also be It would also be checked by its larger checked by its larger coalition partner.coalition partner.

• Power is SHARED Power is SHARED and there would have and there would have to be CONSENSUSto be CONSENSUS

2. Some say PR is 2. Some say PR is complicated – but it isn’tcomplicated – but it isn’t

• Are British people Are British people more stupid that more stupid that our European our European neighbours who use neighbours who use PR e.g. Germany?PR e.g. Germany?

• PR is already used PR is already used in Britain – STV for in Britain – STV for councils in councils in Scotland, Party List Scotland, Party List in EU elections.in EU elections.

• In 1994 Black South In 1994 Black South Africans voted for the Africans voted for the first time.first time.

• 80% of them could not 80% of them could not read or write.read or write.

• However they However they managed to vote managed to vote using Party List.using Party List.

• Party List is one of 4 Party List is one of 4 PR systems currently PR systems currently in use in the U.K.in use in the U.K.

3. PR encourages 3. PR encourages extremism? – It does not.extremism? – It does not.

• Hitler came to Hitler came to power because of power because of other issues e.g. other issues e.g. Versailles, Versailles, economic collapse economic collapse etc. NOT because etc. NOT because of the voting of the voting system.system.

4. PR encourages the 4. PR encourages the proliferation of parties? It proliferation of parties? It

does not.does not.• PR has led to a PR has led to a

reduction of the reduction of the number of parties number of parties in Ireland and in Ireland and Germany.Germany.

5. PR means frequent 5. PR means frequent elections – It does not.elections – It does not.

• Germany and Ireland Germany and Ireland average the same average the same number of elections number of elections as the UK.as the UK.

• In Scotland Labour In Scotland Labour and Liberal and Liberal Democrats formed Democrats formed coalition coalition governments in 1999 governments in 1999 and 2003. Each ran and 2003. Each ran its full term.its full term.

6. PR means coalitions and this means 6. PR means coalitions and this means that voters don’t actually choose ‘The that voters don’t actually choose ‘The

Government’Government’

• Under FPTP voters Under FPTP voters are often choosing are often choosing which party will which party will govern – Labour or govern – Labour or Conservatives.Conservatives.

• Opinion polls Opinion polls however inform however inform the voters and they the voters and they can make decisions can make decisions based on that.based on that.

7. PR destroys the link 7. PR destroys the link between M.P. and between M.P. and

constituency?constituency?• Some systems (such as Some systems (such as

Germany) have Germany) have retained single member retained single member constituencies.constituencies.

• Multi member Multi member constituencies such as constituencies such as Scottish Councils (STV) Scottish Councils (STV) means the public are means the public are better served as they better served as they can speak to a can speak to a representative who representative who shares their view.shares their view.

Arguments against Arguments against FPTPFPTP

Source – Ian Wright of the Source – Ian Wright of the Electoral Reform SocietyElectoral Reform Society

Only one MP is elected per Only one MP is elected per constituencyconstituency

• DUMFRIESSHIRE, DUMFRIESSHIRE, CLYDESDALE AND CLYDESDALE AND TWEEDDALE - GENERAL TWEEDDALE - GENERAL ELECTION 2010 ELECTION 2010

• David Mundell (Con) 17,457David Mundell (Con) 17,457• Claudia Beamish (Lab) 13,263Claudia Beamish (Lab) 13,263• Catriona Bhatia (Lib Dem) Catriona Bhatia (Lib Dem)

9,0809,080• Aileen Orr (SNP) 4,945Aileen Orr (SNP) 4,945• Steven McKeane (UKIP) 637Steven McKeane (UKIP) 637• Alis Ballance (Green) 510Alis Ballance (Green) 510

• Voters who didn’t vote Voters who didn’t vote for the winning M.P. for the winning M.P. may feel that they are may feel that they are not represented.not represented.

• David Mundell only David Mundell only need one more vote need one more vote than Claudia Beamish than Claudia Beamish to win and so over to win and so over 4,000 of his votes 4,000 of his votes didn’t matter.didn’t matter.

• Those who voted for Those who voted for neither Labour or neither Labour or Conservatives wasted Conservatives wasted their vote.their vote.

Wasted VotesWasted Votes

• In 1997 there were In 1997 there were 14.7 ineffective 14.7 ineffective votes. (That is 48% votes. (That is 48% of those who voted).of those who voted).

• Examples include Examples include Labour voters in Labour voters in Surrey ( a Cons Surrey ( a Cons area) and area) and Conservative voters Conservative voters in Durham ( a in Durham ( a strong Labour area).strong Labour area).

There is a lack of choice to There is a lack of choice to voters.voters.

• Candidates are Candidates are selected by a small selected by a small number of party number of party members.members.

• The voter can only The voter can only vote for the vote for the candidate put candidate put forward by their forward by their party. STV would party. STV would change that.change that.

Voters are unequally Voters are unequally representedrepresented

• In 2010 the Lib Dem In 2010 the Lib Dem vote rose by 23% (1 vote rose by 23% (1 million votes) but million votes) but they lost 5 seats!they lost 5 seats!

• In 1997 Labour got In 1997 Labour got an M.P. elected with an M.P. elected with – on average – – on average – 32,000 votes. For 32,000 votes. For the Lib Dems the the Lib Dems the average was average was 113,000.113,000.

A crowd of 113,000

FPTP leads to people FPTP leads to people casting negative votes.casting negative votes.

• People often vote People often vote for someone they for someone they don’t like to stop don’t like to stop someone they hate.someone they hate.

2010 election figures

FPTP distorts resultsFPTP distorts results

• In 2005 In 2005 Labour Labour won 35% won 35% of the of the vote but vote but gained gained 413 out 413 out of 646of 646