John Denham MP speaking at Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform AGM.
"First-past-the-post is undermining the progressive consensus that New Labour created in the 1990s, and threatening the ability to deliver progressive politics in Britain. We want to revive our appeal to all those who have backed Labour in the past 10 years in the heartlands and Labour's new territories. But first-past-the-post forces political parties to focus on a narrow group of voters who hold the key to a small number of key marginals - perhaps 30,000 voters nationally - in the much-vaunted centre ground. Only a reformed voting system, one that forces political parties to work for every vote, will provide the political stimulus we need to rebuild our struggling coalition. Of course, we can win again under first-past-the-post, as we have before. But there is likely to be a political cost; a cost to some of our radical aspirations. Time is running out for Labour to recognise the importance of voting reform to progressive politics in Britain."
Have to say I do like John Denham and his ideas.
ReplyDeleteI totally support this as we are rapidly losing the trust of the British people over the lack of democracy.
ReplyDeleteIts time to putaside tribal loyalties and do what is right.
adele, I'm really glad you agree. I have argued with a number of people in the Labour party about this, and it is clear to me that it is tribal loyalties that are influencing them, not what is best for the people of this country.
ReplyDeleteThe point is that under PR we would go into coalition with the lib dems. Now as much as I hate them
ReplyDeleteAt least we would get some kind of progressive politics rather than playing to middle england, a la the asylum campaign at the last general election