Thursday, January 30, 2014
Voting reform needed for Welsh councils
The Western Mail reports on an initiative by the Electoral Reform Society designed to convince the Wales Labour Party of the benefits of introducing fair votes as part of any council reorganisation here.
The ERS argue that the system of proportional representation used in Scottish local government elections has allowed Labour to win more seats there than it held in 1999, despite the rise of Alex Salmond’s SNP:
Making that case that it is in the interests of the party to abandon first-past-the-post, Steve Brooks, director of ERS Cymru said: “As the recent council and police elections show, Labour still faces an uphill struggle in large parts of Wales. The rivers Towy and Conwy form a western front, beyond which the party performs poorly.
“In any Assembly or general election battle, it is local councillors who are a party’s foot soldiers; loyally knocking doors, delivering leaflets and getting the vote out on polling day. While the 2012 council elections were relatively good for Labour in its heartlands, out west the picture was less positive. The party contested just 16 of the 60 seats in Pembrokeshire.
"In Ceredigion, Labour had regularly polled around 25% of the vote in General Elections, but in 2010 the party only narrowly avoided losing its deposit. In the last council election Labour fielded just one candidate, notching up 3.4% of the overall vote. First-past-the-post creates an ever decreasing circle of decline for the Labour party.
“Areas are abandoned as ‘unwinnable’, the local branch shrivels, the party stops fielding candidates and Labour voters are left stranded with nowhere to go, other than voting tactically for Plaid or the Lib Dems. If Labour is serious about winning back constituencies like Aberconwy, Preseli Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire East & Dinefwr, it needs to take its rose-tinted glasses off and see that electing councillors via first-past-the-post is damaging its general election chances”.
Labour may have had the best result for some time in the 2012 council elections but it is undeniable that some parts of Wales they struggle to make an impact. In those areas their voters are disenfranchised.
But ultimately the best argument for PR is not one of self interest. It is that fair votes produce fair outcomes, it makes local councils more accountable and more receptive to local needs. It is the best way to get good quality services that reflect the wishes of those who use them.
The ERS argue that the system of proportional representation used in Scottish local government elections has allowed Labour to win more seats there than it held in 1999, despite the rise of Alex Salmond’s SNP:
Making that case that it is in the interests of the party to abandon first-past-the-post, Steve Brooks, director of ERS Cymru said: “As the recent council and police elections show, Labour still faces an uphill struggle in large parts of Wales. The rivers Towy and Conwy form a western front, beyond which the party performs poorly.
“In any Assembly or general election battle, it is local councillors who are a party’s foot soldiers; loyally knocking doors, delivering leaflets and getting the vote out on polling day. While the 2012 council elections were relatively good for Labour in its heartlands, out west the picture was less positive. The party contested just 16 of the 60 seats in Pembrokeshire.
"In Ceredigion, Labour had regularly polled around 25% of the vote in General Elections, but in 2010 the party only narrowly avoided losing its deposit. In the last council election Labour fielded just one candidate, notching up 3.4% of the overall vote. First-past-the-post creates an ever decreasing circle of decline for the Labour party.
“Areas are abandoned as ‘unwinnable’, the local branch shrivels, the party stops fielding candidates and Labour voters are left stranded with nowhere to go, other than voting tactically for Plaid or the Lib Dems. If Labour is serious about winning back constituencies like Aberconwy, Preseli Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire East & Dinefwr, it needs to take its rose-tinted glasses off and see that electing councillors via first-past-the-post is damaging its general election chances”.
Labour may have had the best result for some time in the 2012 council elections but it is undeniable that some parts of Wales they struggle to make an impact. In those areas their voters are disenfranchised.
But ultimately the best argument for PR is not one of self interest. It is that fair votes produce fair outcomes, it makes local councils more accountable and more receptive to local needs. It is the best way to get good quality services that reflect the wishes of those who use them.
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"But ultimately the best argument for PR is not one of self interest. It is that fair votes produce fair outcomes, it makes local councils more accountable and more receptive to local needs. It is the best way to get good quality services that reflect the wishes of those who use them." Bravo Peter.
I understand why the ERS is playing to Labour's self-interest, but it doesn't serve public debate very well.
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I understand why the ERS is playing to Labour's self-interest, but it doesn't serve public debate very well.
# posted by 
: 1:18 PM
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