This link takes one to a BBC film of a fairly large and very noisy demonstration in the streets of London, in favor of a referendum on proportional representation. The film is 86 seconds long. One must watch a brief commercial before seeing the news clip.
The demonstrators were in front of the building at which Liberal Democratic Party leaders were meeting to decide strategy. The demonstrators are afraid that the Liberal Democratic Party may weaken the party insistence on a referendum. The Conservative Party is firmly opposed to holding a referendum on Proportional Representation. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
I have voted for the Lib/Dems twice , if they do a deal with anyone that does not include PR,I will never vote for them again as it is a wasted vote !!!!
Here’s a link to a BBC online story about PR in New Zealand, and how that country’s experience with it may influence what happens in the UK:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8665835.stm
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There is a nice op-ed on the protest and its aims written by Billy Bragg for the Guardian here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/10/electoral-reform-purple-person
Bragg is a well-known musician, socialist and traditional Labour supporter.
If Clegg doesn’t get us PR he will be out as party leader.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2010
Nonstop machinations in a minority rule regime of party hacks ???
Not to keep posting Guardian links here, but…
How proportional representation would have changed the general election 2010 result [with data]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/may/10/proportional-representation-general-election-2010
This makes the interesting case that Greens would have done worse (ie. NO MPs) under the various Alternative Vote or Single Transferable vote systems being proposed. The Lib Dems would do significantly better under all. Lively discussion in the comments.
# 7 Total speculation — ALL of the larger parties would likely blow up and shatter and regroup into the REAL preferences of the voters.
Here’s an idea: implement proportional representation and increase the number of MPs, but give each MP a smaller vote. The USA could use PR for the Presidential Electors if we consider the fact that the U.S. Constitution says each state should have a number of electors equal to the number of representatives and senators apportioned. But Electors cast 2 votes, 1 for Prez and 1 for VP. So if you live in a state with 3 Electors (6 Electoral Votes total Prez+VP) and say a Ross Perot got 25%, that would equal to 1 or 2 EV. Since voters can’t tell electors how to vote, it would be like for statistical reasons. Imagine an elector that supported Clinton for Prez and Perot for VP for example.