LETTER: Real democracy is top priority

Nearly a month after the General and District elections the independent Electoral Reform Society has written a report describing the 2015 general election as the ‘most disproportionate in British history’.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Jun 2015, 18:00 BST

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In its analysis, the society which campaigns to change the voting system, assessed how the make-up of Parliament would have differed had a more proportionate voting systems been used.

They showed that UKIP could have won up to 80 MPs and the Greens 20. UKIP received 3.9 million votes and the Greens 1.2 million, yet both ended up with one MP each and grossly under-represented.

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The chief executive of the society, described the current first past the post system as ‘archaic’ and ‘divisive’. Going on to say that it ‘leaves millions disenfranchised and forces millions more to feel that they have to vote for a ‘lesser evil’.’

And ‘It’s about time we had a fairer system for electing our MPs.’

An abstract of the report is available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32954807 .

More generally it has to be questionable when the Conservatives with some 35 per cent of the popular vote, and only 25 per cent of the votes of those entitled to vote, gets into power to impose ‘democracy’ on others, sometimes via supporting illegitimate war. Whilst the Scottish Nationalist Party gained some 1.4 million votes and 56 MPs!

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The system has to change in the interest of achieving real democracy, whatever one’s personal views of particular parties.

Achieving this should be a Government top priority not wasting time repealing the hunting ban or reducing individual protection by seeking to replace the Human Rights Act!

We accept Proportional Representation for voting for the European Parliament and the National Regional Assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so why not Westminster?

Many believe the Coalition did well in providing stable, balanced, tempered Government, but I fear turkeys don’t vote for Christmas!

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It would be interesting to see what our newly elected Horsham MP, Mr Quinn’s views are on this, if he can drag himself away from his now no doubt well-thumbed copy of the Horsham District Guide.

L.N. PRICE

Smithbarn, Horsham

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Related topics:MPs