On May 5th there's a referendum on what may be one of the most important and fundamental changes to our electoral system for decades, but you'd never know it from the almost complete absence of coverage on it in the media.
I think partly this can be blamed on the almost total silence on it from the mainstream politicians. We were told that Cameron and Clegg, despite their coalition, would be freely and openly campaigning on opposite sides of the argument. Well, having occasionally seen Clegg say a few words on AV, I've seen absolutely nothing of Cameron on the subject. Or Miliband, for that matter.
The fact is that the existing system has served the two main parties rather well over the last few decades, giving each of them long periods in office at various times. I think both Labour and the Tories think that if they say nothing, it'll keep the profile of the forthcoming vote low, and the turnout will be correspondingly poor, giving no real mandate to the winner regardless of the result.
It's got bad enough that I've been picking up any leaflets being handed out on this at tube stations etc, simply to get some information on the arguments either way. I suppose at least, in an environment reasonably free of the mud slinging and overblown rhetoric which often characterises election campaigns, people will be left to make their minds up based on the actual facts offered by both arguments rather than who shouts loudest.
For my own part, I think I'm going to vote in favour of change. The current system does not exactly encourage change or innovative government, leaving as it has done the two main parties bickering like children over ownership of the same stale bag of biscuits which changes hands between them all the time. Also, the argument against it that 'one person, one vote is fair' is frankly rubbish when boundary changes, social demographic distribution and gerrymandering can mean that 20,000 votes in one constituency can return one MP and 3000 votes in a neighbouring constituency produces the same return. If you happen to live in an opponent's heartland you go into the booth knowing that your vote is likely to make no difference.
But the best reason I've heard is that AV reduces the impact of votes for extremist, minority parties like the BNP. That's reason enough for me, frankly.
Myself and Miriam have registered to vote by post and we'll be sending those off later today.
ReplyDeleteWe've both gone for AV but this is mainly as we're both very anti-Tory (I've brainwashed my missus very well into understanding the evil that lies there aside from what she sees with her own eyes on the news and in reality) and personally I want my local MP (however kind to the Albion she was) Hazel Blears to be ousted as she messed up badly over her expenses scandal and so I feel she should have been taught a lesson.
Am naturally a Lib-Dem voter with Labour stealing my affections occasionally and so as you can imagine I've felt quite exasperated of late with the direction they appear to have taken on a few things.
As for the publicity surrounding this very important vote I agree that it's been very low-key but I have seen presentations involving Miliband and Cable in favour of AV and of course Cameron alongside that old political bruiser John Reid on the other side.
ReplyDeleteWeighing it all up there are flaws and shortcomings as will be a given anyway I feel in both systems but lesser of two evils if you like is AV as, at least, as you made the point parties like the BNP and other fools will be squeezed out by it.