If NO to AV wins then David Cameron and the Tories will take this result as a resounding endorsement of First-Past-The-Post which favours both the Tory and Labour Party by channelling the votes of smaller parties, (this is why both parties have been in power since 1922).
Also history informs us that when it comes to how we elect our MPs Labour talks the talk but they don't walk the walk. In 1997 under Tony Blair's leadership Labour's manifesto promised:
"We are committed to a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons. An independent commission on voting systems will be appointed early to recommend a proportional alternative to the first-past-the-post system."After 8 years in power Labour had failed to deliver the promised referendum on electoral reform and in the 2005 General Election Labour went on to win a majority government with just 35% of the national vote. It wasn't until the poll ratings suggested that Labour were set to lose the 2010 general election that Labour now under Gordon Brown's leadership added to their manifesto:
"To ensure that every MP is supported by the majority of their constituents voting at each election, we will hold a referendum on introducing the Alternative Vote for elections to the House of Commons."Most people, (myself included) saw this for what it was a last ditch attempt by Labour to steal some Lib Dem votes and jump on the Clegg-mania band wagon which had gripped the nation at the time. Do you remember Gordon Brown repeating "I agree with Nick" on the pre-election TV debates?
Now fast forward to the 2015 General Election after a NO to AV win in May. The election is to be fought using First-Past-The-Post and the Lib Dem vote has collapsed. Who wins? who knows but it can only be one of two possible winners Labour or Tory but one thing is certain the real losers will be the voters yet again who won't have got what they voted for and any hope of future voting reform will dead and buried for a generation at the very least. You see even if there was to be another hung parliament what chance is there of being another referendum on voting reform after a NO to AV result? None. Why because the politicians are only interested in what works best for them and not for us and they're never going to give you on PR after a NO to AV vote.
First-Past-The-Post ensures that Labour and Tory in power all of the time - that's why Labour didn't deliver on voting reform they felt they didn't need to and in 2005 they didn't and by 2010 it was just too late.
The Electoral Reform Society has been lobbying for change for decades but how can you ever get it when the people who hold all the power don't want it and are actively blocking it?
AV will lead to further voting reforms in the future I'm sure of it, (more of that later) but for now we HAVE to vote YES to AV or else any chance of voting reform in the future is dead and buried. As I said earlier I am convinced that when compared with Tin - Brass is better - it may not be Gold I grant you but history tells us that you cannot get Gold from Tin not when the people in power own all the shares in Tin.
Vote YES to AV on May 5th and the door to further electoral reform is ajar, (all be it on a chain) but if NO to AV wins the door is not only closed it's locked, bolted and the key thrown away. Replace the word "Parrot" for "Electoral Reform Society" into Monty Python's Dead parrot sketch with YOU the voter as the customer and Electoral Reform Society as the Shop Keeper and you've got the idea. ER won't just be be stunned it will be dead - stone dead
'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e
rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked thebucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
Every vote will count on May 5th so don't abstain, (as there are a lot of vested interest groups who will be getting the NO vote out in their droves) - YOUR YES vote counts. Vote YES to AV - YES to CHANGE! or we will all be stuck with First-Past-The-Post for forever and a day and electoral reform is as dead as a parrot!
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