Thatcher dead

[Andy Dale]

I think a lot will depend on whether Scotland votes for independence .
Labour will lose a hell of a lot of seats as well as 3 million or so votes.
So whichever system we use in the future , labour will lose out massively dependent on Scotland .

 

[waterloo blue]

What we really need in this country is a credible third party, one that reflects the views of those on the left and on the right in different policy areas. One that reflects nationalist & socialist views if you like. It could be called the National Socialist party to ensure that it attracts people from across the political spectrum.

One people,one country,one leader,by any chance?.

 

[Cheesy]

What we really need in this country is a credible third party, one that reflects the views of those on the left and on the right in different policy areas. One that reflects nationalist & socialist views if you like. It could be called the National Socialist party to ensure that it attracts people from across the political spectrum.

One people,one country,one leader,by any chance?.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Agree with most of your post and glad to say I'm in the 4%.
However, New Labour was created by the Labour party itself after recognising that if they carried on as they were they were going to remain unelectable. Labour used 'new' as early as 94 in its own slogan, though the utlimate spinner that is Alistair Campbell really 'popularised' it.

I too am a swing voter although I've habitually lived in Labour strongholds since the '97 election. That said, I guess I'm not a floating voter in the purest sense of the word as I never have voted Tory, not least because of the inveterate absence of social liberalism among large parts of their membership and MP's.

In spite of the disproportionate power vested in me and my fellow floating voters I still consider it to be a wholly unjust way of determining how the country is governed. There is clearly little appetite from the electorate for a more representative electoral system, which is a little depressing tbh.

I would presume that you would prefer PR, or its watered down version AV.
The electorate, rightly, IMO, rejected this resoundingly, which has had the heartwarming effect of leaving Nick Clegg looking as if he is permanently on the verge of tears. Voting by constituencies rather than some unworkable poll of the whole country has served us well enough, if say, you want a Labour MP as your local representative, you then don't need to accommodate the views of Tories/Liberals/Greens etc; impinging on the policies of your chosen man.
This makes more sense, to me and results in the community getting the MP they want, by democratically rejecting all others.

I agree that there is considerable merit in the current system in terms of MP's representing their constituents, at least in theory. Unfortunately the interests of their constituents are nearly always subservient to the demands of whatever party they are aligned to. Only on very rare occasions will they vote in defiance of the party whip because they believe it to be in their constituents' best interests.

I believe that MP's should be, by law, truly independent of any political party. They can then be elected based on their own views, not those of the political machine that they are attached to. Their voting in parliament would be based on the best interests of their constituents and would be judged as such. Real democracy in action. I also believe it would lead to a palpable increase in the quality of those that represent us; more people with real life experience, rather than the procession of characterless career politicians that we have foisted upon us. We need more characters in politics.It could also mean more working class people could be there to represent the interests of that section of society rather than the Oxbridge educated types they often have imposed upon them.

I would then abolish the Lords and have a more representative second chamber.

Best of both worlds.