why the present system needs reform
- In 2001, 333 MPs were returned to Parliament with less than 50% of the
vote.
- In 2001, 26 MPs were elected with less than 40% of the vote.
- In two constituencies, the winning candidate was returned with less than
30% of the vote; in Perth the SNP candidate was returned with 29.7% and in
Argyll & Bute the Liberal Democrat won with 29.9%.
- No MPs can say they had the support of a majority of their constituents
(including those who did not actually vote) in 2001. Only 14 MPs (or 2% of
the total) could in 1997.
- There are 107,897 Labour voters in Surrey - but no Labour MPs.
- There are 109,965 Tory voters in Merseyside - but no Tory MPs.
- Labour won every seat in West Yorkshire with only 51.5% of the vote - the
other 48.5% (429,174 votes) did not elect anyone.
- Tony Blair won a landslide victory in 2001, giving Labour a majority of 165
seats in the House of Commons. But he did so with fewer votes than John
Major got for his 21-strong majority in 1992 - and fewer even than Neil
Kinnock's losing showing in the same election.
- In Northern Ireland a fairly small change in votes could see the DUP and
Sinn Fein nearly monopolise the parliamentary representation of the
province.
