A perfect blueprint for splitting the Labour Party

Article Abstract:

There is a danger that the Jenkins Commission on changing the UK's voting system will institutionalize an approach which involves voting for the least unfavourable candidate in every constituency. The commission has avoided a genuine proportional representation system, choosing instead to recommend a version of the Australian Alternative Vote system. The latter system has many flaws, and this means that many people who vote in the referendum on constitutional reform will support first past the post instead. First past the post allows very small shifts in votes cast to be magnified into enormous landslides in terms of seats won. Most seriously, it could split the Labour party.

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Electoral reform should not be designed simply to stuff the Tories

Article Abstract:

Changes must only be made to the UK's voting system if there is real justification for doing so. Proposals to be put forward by Roy Jenkins, which are likely to involve retaining the first-past-the-post system for around 500 constituencies and limiting proportional representation to around 100 additional MPs taken from lists approved by party leaders, seem designed to permanently defeat the Conservative party, and are therefore not justified. Furthermore, such a system would give a great deal of power to party leaders.

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The Prime Minister, patronage and Labour's flawed plans for the Lords

Article Abstract:

There is no case for retaining the hereditary peerage in the UK, but this does not mean that a single chamber legislature is necessarily the best way forward. Similarly, an upper house containing only life peers would not be effective. The best solution may be to create a second chamber with legitimacy and independence but a different electorate from that of the House of Commons. The Labour party should proceed more quickly with plans for elected assemblies in England, as these would be the ideal mechanism.

Political activity, United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Lords

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