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May 16, 2006
Barking and Dagenham ... one week on
We got a letter published in Monday's Guardian -
A week after local elections, the voters of Barking and Dagenham have every reason to feel doubly failed by an electoral system that could not deliver the council they actually voted for. Twice as many people voted for the Conservatives or Ukip as voted for the BNP in the borough. Yet these voters are virtually unrepresented on the council, which has one Tory and no Ukip councillors - compared with 11 BNP councillors. The current electoral system rewards the BNP's highly localised support compared with parties with larger or more widespread support. The outcome skews the wishes of the electorate and has far-reaching consequences for the management and priorities of the council. It should be the Conservatives, not the BNP, who form the main opposition to Labour in the council chambers. In the interests not just of its traditional voters but also of anti-racist efforts nationwide, the government should consider all mechanisms for changing this dynamic, including electoral reform.
Malcolm Clark
Coordinator, Make Votes Count
Posted by malcolmclark on May 16, 2006
Comments
Have you considered working more closely with anti-racist groups on this very issue? Seems like it's an alliance worth exploring...
Posted by: leon at May 16, 2006 03:04 PM
Leon's got a good point Malcolm, the old "PR lets the BNP" canard has been conclusively defeated with the Barking results.
Posted by: MatGB at May 19, 2006 01:09 PM
First past the post was meant to keep small parties out thus maintaining the current rotten system, whereas PR gave the BNP a chance of gaining MEPs (and almost did last time). Now the BNP is gaining wide and justifiable popularity, the Establishment are panicking at the prospect of more Barking and Dagenham type results and will do anything to prevent the democratic wishes of British people. Something coming home to roost?
Posted by: Dr Phill Edwards at June 14, 2006 08:25 AM
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