According to Make My Vote Count, Gordon Brown might be in favour of the Alternative Vote system.
Archive: Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
A third reply to my letter to my MP came today (incidentally, there are brand new Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath letterheads!). This one came with a copy of a letter from unelected Charlie Lord Falconer of Thoroton.
“I don’t think there’s a real groundswell for change,” he once said regarding making my vote count. In my letter, after the initial “thank you for your letter” shite, he said:
Regarding Mr Stephen’s first concern [making my vote count], I can confirm that an internal review is currently underway within my Department, which will review the new electoral systems introduced for the devolved administrations, the European Parliament and the London Assembly. This review is at an early stage, and decisions regarding any next steps for the review will be taken in due course.
The government still maintains that a referendum remains the right way to agree any change for Westminster.
All fair enough, and it will be interesting to find out what the report makes of the current electoral systems used (particularly AMS).
Now the second bit.
With regard to the issue of the West Lothian Question, the UK Parliament is responsible for matters that effect [shouldn't that be affect?] the entire UK, including England. A fundamental principle of the UK Parliament is that all MPs have equal rights, and can therefore vote on any matter brought before them, whether they represent constituencies in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England.
The vast majority of MPs are against removing this equality, with the House of Commons rejecting a motion in January 2004 which sought to prevent Scottish MPs from voting on matters which did not ostensibly effect Scotland, by 377 votes to 142.
Well that’s all fair enough aswell, because I also happen to think that all MPs should have equal rights. But that’s not what I asked. I asked about how they intended to tackle the problem, and I suggested an English Parliament just to help them along. But they ignored all that. Instead of telling me how they intend to tackle the West Lothian Question, they told me why they’re not choosing a particular way to tackle it.
I’m not too satisfied with that one, I have to say.
Another reply to my letter from Gordon Brown came this morning, with a photocopy of another one from the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
Dear Mr Stephen
I enclose a copy of a letter I have just received concerning the matter I raised on your behalf. As you will see a further letter will follow and I will get back to you once I receive this.
Yours sincerely
Gordon Brown MP
Dear Mr Brown,
[my address]
I refer to your letter of Tuesday 17th May 2005, addressed to The Department for Constitutional Affairs, about Electoral Reform.
Your letter was received on Thursday 19th May 2005 and the Minister aims to reply within 20 working days. However, if we anticipate a delay, I will inform you as soon as possible.
I shall also contact you again if, after considering your letter further, it appears that another Department may deal with it more appropriately.
If you would like to speak to someone in this office about your letter…
And so it goes on.
My name is still correct, but now my address is wrong, on each letter, in different ways.
Kudos to Mr Brown for forwarding my letter to the Department for Constitutional Affairs. But I’m kind of amazed that they don’t have a response ready and waiting. I can’t be the only person writing letters about the voting system. Perhaps it’s different with my query about the possibility of an English Parliament.
Sit up now Stuart, Gareth, Garry, Murky. Gordon Brown has replied to my letter.
Dear Mr Stephen
Thank you for your recent letter which I have forwarded to the appropriate department. I will contact you once I receive a reply.
Yours sincerely
Gordon Brown MP
I’m sure you’ll agree, it was definitely worth the wait, and the price of two first class stamps. At least he got my name right.
I think this is what they call “cutting bureaucracy”.
After Garry of A Big Stick and a Small Carrot started his Anne Begg proxy blog, Stuart Dickson asked:
Doctorvee, any plans for a new Gordon Brown MP [proxy blog]?
Well, I don’t know about that really. I wasn’t thinking about it anyway. I kind of waver on the issue of proxy blogs enough. Gordon Brown would be such a big task. I don’t think I would be up to it really.
Besides, isn’t the point of proxy blogging to try and get MPs to blog themselves? It’s all very well getting an opposition MP or a backbencher blogging. But would I rather the Chancellor of the Exchequer was blogging, or trying to do his job?
Perhaps I could run a proxy blog that focuses on just constituency issues. Whatever, I remain to be convinced. Convince away if you want to though!
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