By | 3 min
Since its inception Unions21 has fought for progressive change to make democratic trade unionism relevant to the challenges of today. It is time that politicians did the same for our voting system. Electoral reform is sometimes unfairly painted as an issue that is remote or arcane. But reform is needed to empower the many and not the few. As the cuts begin to bite, it isn’t it more imperative than ever that we are able to elect MPs that really have to listen and represent the interests of the majority of their constituents?
That’s why the forthcoming referendum on the Alternative Vote (AV) really matters. For while First Past the Post might have seemed well-suited to the world of 1951 where more than 92% of voters supported one of the main two party blocs. People’s voting intentions would be often be fixed from decade to decade. But in 2010 this has fallen to little more than 65%, with votes splitting to the Lib Dems, the Greens, SNP, Plaid, UKIP, Independents and more. Millions of voters are now left having to vote for a party that isn’t their real first choice just in order to have any say in the final outcome. The era when politics was dominated by one or other of two party blocs has long gone. People today are used to exercising choices in every aspect of their daily lives. In comparison, the FPTP system now creaks at every turn and we badly need it upgrading.
Moving to AV is a simple change to the way we vote that can make a real difference to the quality of our politics. The MPs expenses crisis was symptomatic of a system that allows complacency to breed. AV would make MPs work harder, since no-one could afford to rely on a predictable “core” vote to return them to office time after time. Instead, candidates would need to reach out to a wider section of the community at each election, as the MPs returned will be those best able to build a broad base of support will be returned. This would help us make MPs more accountable and deliver a Parliament more responsive to the needs of voters.
Next May, with your help, we can deliver a small change that would make a big difference,
Michael Calderbank is Outreach Co-ordinator (Trade Union and Political Liaison) of www.yestofairervotes.org
Unions 21 does not have policy but publishes articles to stimulate debate on Trade Union issues.
