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View Poll Results: Should the UK adopt PR?
Yes 11 91.67%
No 1 8.33%
Voters: 12. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-07-2010, 10:26 AM
 
Location: London, U.K.
3,006 posts, read 3,858,936 times
Reputation: 1750

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Should we adopt PR (proportional representation) in the UK? What are the reasons as to why we should or should not adopt such a system? Also thoughts on how likely this is given our electoral results.

For the record I support PR as our current system disenfranchises the majority of the electorate. In my opinion a goverment does not have a mandate on little over a third of the vote
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Old 05-07-2010, 10:36 AM
 
14,249 posts, read 17,864,073 times
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Yes, for the reasons you state. First Past the Post only works where there are just two parties. As this election has shown, it is dysfunctional in a 3+ party system.
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Old 05-07-2010, 03:13 PM
 
Location: The Silver State (from the UK)
4,664 posts, read 8,224,599 times
Reputation: 2862
When the liberal democrats get 23% of the vote (their highest amount yet) but end up losing seats, and 200 less MPs than labour something has got to be wrong.

The constituencies are a farce, and I should be able to vote for different people at different levels of government, including being able to directly appoint the PM.
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Old 05-10-2010, 12:55 AM
 
1,481 posts, read 2,151,860 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ian6479 View Post
When the liberal democrats get 23% of the vote (their highest amount yet) but end up losing seats, and 200 less MPs than labour something has got to be wrong.

The constituencies are a farce, and I should be able to vote for different people at different levels of government, including being able to directly appoint the PM.
The Lib Dems need to show that they are not to be trifled with, for example with tactical voting they could have easily kept the Labour party in power.
So they need to point out to the other parties, no PR, we will decide which party out of the Conservatives or Labour we will put into power.

I notice where the Lib Dems came third in seats they often had than enough votes to choose which party would hold the seat.

From this distance the Lib Dems have been too nice, they need to do a touch of head kicking with their votes to get what they want, PR.
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Old 05-10-2010, 01:43 AM
 
Location: Brighton, UK
116 posts, read 255,520 times
Reputation: 82
The only reason I would not support some form of PR is if constituencies were abolished, one of the only things I think works about FPTP.
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Old 05-10-2010, 04:29 AM
 
Location: The cupboard under the sink
3,993 posts, read 8,902,005 times
Reputation: 8105
The Lib/Dems need policies. Not PR.

Their performance in the election shows what a difference it can make having a more charismatic leader, but a lack of clear direction cost them dearly.

IMHO, the general election should contain two votes, one for your local MP, and one for who you want to run the country.

If your local Conservative offers a good deal for your constituency, then you can vote for them, but, if you think Labour would be better to run the country as a whole, then you can cast your second vote for them.
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:17 AM
 
Location: London, U.K.
3,006 posts, read 3,858,936 times
Reputation: 1750
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonman13 View Post
The only reason I would not support some form of PR is if constituencies were abolished, one of the only things I think works about FPTP.
The alternative member/mixed member system (used in Wales and Scotland) overcomes the constituency problem. Its not 100% representational, maybe 98% as it tends to be 2 or 3 seats out in the percentage of seats allocated to each party, but its the best compromise i've seen.

Last edited by archineer; 05-10-2010 at 11:29 AM..
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