Comments on: The problems with the electoral system

By: Peter Swales

Peter Swales — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:46:03 +0000

Could you make an inquiry into Hafod Housing Association? A Schizophrenic by the name of Rhys Humphreys is in control of the Association and staff. I am the culprit he is trying to control. If you analyse my past I am not a sufferer of mental Illness. POST-WAR (survivor). PLEASE HELP. Peter

By: Gareth

Gareth — Sun, 01 May 2005 17:24:48 +0000

Re: “Hurry up and get on with it please”

Wish that it were that easy. Unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the UK government won’t allow us to have a referendum on how we wish to be governed.

By: Garry

Garry — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:25:26 +0000

Bob. I’m sorry but I’m confused. I though you were a Labour man but you seem to agree that Blair is weak. Have I got this wrong?
Anyway, I’d say that Blair renaged on his commitment to introduce PR only because he realised he could stay in power longer under FPTP.
I don’t think it has any relation to the amount of power he has over policy decisions. Whichever way you look at it it is undeniably a broken promise.

By: doctorvee

doctorvee — Fri, 22 Apr 2005 19:04:59 +0000

…But I didn’t.

Funny how you should nit-pick about whether or not I should have posted comment #3 six minutes earlier, yet totally ignore the criticisms of the post on Talk Politics…

By: Bob Piper

Bob Piper — Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:53:35 +0000

Garry… probably President Blair’s commitment. Shows how weak a President he is. Doc, the stupidity is commenting on something BEFORE you’e read it.

By: Garry

Garry — Thu, 21 Apr 2005 12:51:24 +0000

Bob, I know that PR has it’s problems but it has to be better than what we have now: “President Blair” having absolute authority with 41% of the vote. (approx, I haven’t had time to look it up). I remember a commitment regarding this in a 1997 manifesto which has since been “forgotten”. Can you tell me whose it was?

By: doctorvee

doctorvee — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 16:04:34 +0000

Ah, stupid for having an opinion. Got ya.

I don’t see how the formation of a two-party cabinet is any more behind closed doors than when the just one party is involved.

By: Bob Piper

Bob Piper — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:30:02 +0000

Dr… I don’t necessarily assume you are stupid, but when you comment on an article I refer you to and make a value judgement about it… you prove that you are. Garry, the FPTP system is unfair, but I prefer that to decisions about who will rule the country being made in backrooms away from the view of the electorate. In 1979 Paddy Pantsdown and Blair had made it as public as they could that the Liberal Democrats, supported by less than 20% of those that vote, would be the tail that wagged the Labour dog.

By: Garry

Garry — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:03:44 +0000

Having just read your rather excellent post and Councillor Bob’s link, I’m struggling to see what point he was trying to make. Does it address the unfairness of the FPTP system in any way? I think not.
And as for postal voting fraud, any controversy after the election will no doubt be used as “another good reason why we should introduce ID cards”.

By: doctorvee

doctorvee — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 22:21:23 +0000

I’m intrigued by that comment by Bloggers4Labour aswell.

Obviously there is a discrepancy in the size of constituencies, and Labour-held ones are less populous. However, it is entirely the fault of the Tories that they are unable to win those small seats in a straight fight.

That is a little bit like saying, “Of course some people are shorter than others, but it is a small person’s fault if he can not beat a tall person in a height competition.”

I thought Labour were meant to be in favour of helping the disadvantaged! Mind you, you can never tell these days…