Getting specific on PR

Judging by the reaction to previous posts here at The Sharpener, you, dear readers, cannot get enough of this electoral reform stuff. So, in the gre […]

I assume the mentality of both UKIP and Sinn Fein is along the lines of “well, by working within their electoral system they have to acknowledge us, but by refusing to participate in their parliamentary system we not only weaken it by lessening its numbers but also show it our contempt”.

But as much as I detest the likes of Sinn Fein, Paisley’s lot, UKIP, the BNP and so on I firmly believe they should all be allowed to stand – as should anyone. If you start down the path of refusing people the right to stand just because they don’t plan to take up the seat it’s not long before you could argue that minor parties shouldn’t have the right to put up candidates as they haven’t got a chance of winning.

I know that’s not what you’re saying, but by denying people a platform you often end up making them stronger – viz. Gerry Adams’ massively raised profile during the ridiculous period when he couldn’t appear on British TV without having his voice dubbed over. He had far more impact then than he does now. Censoring things makes them more powerful simply through the publicity it generates, and denying people the right to stand for parliament would be a form of censorship.

Which sort of brings it back to PR – after all, all those Tory votes in safe Labour seats and vice versa are being ignored under the present system – another form of censorship?

However, it seems that SF would not take their seats even if the oath was abolished, the central issue for them being that they don’t recognise the authority of Westminster in NI. So why then do they even want to stand for election to a House which they believe has no authority in the constituency that they represent? Wierdos.

And what if all MPs decided not to take their seats? Then where would we be? (Better off, some might suggest ;-) But seriously, that brings me back to the argument that if you don’t plan to take your seat then you shouldn’t be allowed to stand.

Sorry to get off topic – this was supposed to be about electoral reform and PR or something, wasn’t it?

“I …………… do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law.”

Naturally enough, as Sinn Fein want independence from the Crown they can’t swear to this, and would probably argue that the people who voted for them wouldn’t want them to either.

But just because they are unable to participate in debates and votes doesn’t really alter the platform that being elected gives them by all that much – they are still, after all, such a small party that they can hardly make much of a difference. There’s a useful research paper on the oath and the Sinn Fein situation here (.pdf download) if you want to check the details.

Still, it doesn’t alter the fact that it must be insanely frustrating to be a sensible moderate stuck in the Northern Irish political system. You’re stuck with a bunch of nutters as your elected representatives, and with the current FPTP system combining with all the irrationality and macho bullshit they all spout it looks like there’s still no real end in sight.

I’m sure nobody in London wants to have to look at all those smug DUP faces either. They are an embarrassment to the large minority of sensible, intelligent people in NI.

In short, under PR, I could vote for who I wanted, UUP and SDLP would have a lot more seats, and Alliance would probably have one or two MPs at least.

PS. On another subject, why are Sinn Fein allowed to stand if they are not going to take their seats? That just means that those people in SF constituencies who did not vote SF have no representation of any kind at Westminster! Surely the second place candidate should become their MP by default.

This post will cover a myriad of interconnected issues. Martin Stabe reckons British blogs are irrelevant to the election. Superficially, I agree with hi

In his memoirs, Paddy ‘Bomber’ Ashdown says Blair specifically said to him ‘you can trust me on this’.

Not one of the former Eastern Bloc countries pick FPTP when communism fell. It is blatantly unfair that a party who has most votes cast against it should have a hefty majority.

Yet Margaret Beckett says we should retain it because ‘it’s the system the British people understand’

Ah, right then. We’re just too thick to use the one everyone else has. Thanks for your confidence and respect, Margaret.