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January 24, 2008
Opinions of the Review 1
BBC Political correspondent Ben Wright responded to the review by outlining the debate surrounding electoral reform. Among the key issues discussed are swing votes, coalition governments, and partisan advantage. The Jenkins Report and the Electoral Reform Society are also briefly mentioned. Some key points:
Various systems of PR are now used in elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh, London and Northern Ireland assemblies as well as in European elections. And the consequences are clear, most obviously in Wales and Scotland where there have been no outright majorities since 1999.
Some feel their votes don't count under the current system Coalitions and minority government have become the norm. So would it work for Westminster? Reviews and analysis pile up but in the end it's up to the government to make a call.
The former health secretary Patricia Hewitt has long argued for reform and senses there is "growing support" in government for what's called the Alternative Vote system, where candidates are ranked in order of preference. It's not PR, but it's a change. "A referendum on a reformed voting system.. would be a terrific move" for Gordon Brown to take, she said.
A hung parliament at the next election now looks a distinct possibility and a deal on introducing a reformed voting system could be the price the Liberal Democrats extract from a potential coalition partner.
The Tories are certainly suspicious of Labour's motives.Nick Herbert, their Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "We reject the approach which Labour has taken, which is to raise this issue, to toy with these alternatives systems only when it suits them and for partisan electoral advantage."
Labour has flirted with PR for years. But if the next election is a close-run thing, it might be the Liberal Democrats who force the party to commit.
Posted by joshloewenstein on January 24, 2008
