Under our current system (since the emergence of the SNP) the only party that CAN get a majority is the Tories. Labour are beginning to realise this and accept that the only way they will ever govern again is in some sort of coalition. They are already in discussion with the Lib Dems about a joint effort to get rid of FPTP. It's coming at last.
We definitely need to grow out of this belief. Thatcher gained a massive majority by pretending to align the Tories with ‘working class values’ like low taxes and importantly good old fashioned ignorance, anti LGB, slightly racist, misogynistic etc Blair did enough to tempt some of them back and Starmer is trying the same. But they’re not traditional labour values, they always existed in the working class, and IMHO they don’t belong. I’ve voted Labour all my life but if they believe the only way they can get elected is by attracting racists and little Englanders, they’re gonna lose a lot of actual left wing voters along with me. 50% of the population didn’t vote for Brexit, why do labour have to pretend they’re happy it happened, cos they’re too scared of the ‘working class’ Brexiteers. 66% of the population want some nationalisation of utilities, why are they scared to grasp such a popular move. The current stance appears to be to say nothing hoping not to put too many prospective voters off. It’s utter cowardice.
Need a real effort to convey to explain to the public just how unfair FPTP is. Its long been my hope that a more representative parliament may actually make more "middle ground" balanced decisions.
It's not some strange branch of abstract mathematics, it's just arithmetic. I think most people in the UK have a basic grasp of arithmetic so it shouldn't be difficult to show them how unfair it is and to remind them how the current system is used by the Tories to make fundamental changes to our country for which they have never had a mandate from the people, because of our antique system.
Shouldn't be too difficult I agree but on the flip side I wonder what percentage of the voting population don't actually understand the current system.
For me in very sime terms at the last election Labour just lost votes to both Brexiteers and remainers. They did such a good job of staying impartial both sides were p'd off. As I say maybe I'm over simplifying it but that's how my sleep deprived brain remembers it
This is largely where I'm at. The next general election will be the first where I haven't voted Labour. As you know, its mainly about their campaigning to make lockdowns longer and more severe but if I look at their policies - they don't oppose Brexit, they don't publically support nationalisation of any industry and I look at them and can't actually see any policy from them that actually supports working class people.
Fair point. For me the message should be this - The average number of votes per MP by party:- Conservative : 38,000 Labour : 50,000 Lib Dem : 334,000 Green : 864,000
As much as I'm still a reluctant labour supporter, I'm massively in favour of PR. Only Russia & the US have outdated systems. That has worked well for them...
Labour is way too far down the identity politics rabbit hole. Whilst it was nice to see Starmer and Rayner elbowing their way to the front of Gay pride it would have been nice to also see them in solidarity with the striking bus/rail workers over the last few weeks. Why do you think companies love gay pride month? Because it does not threaten the economic status quo - the continued exploitation of the low paid and zero hours workers, because it looks like they care when all they care about is fking over ordinary people. Once upon a time labour stood up for those people, they need to do it again.
Because they know if they alienate the working class brexiteers they'll lose, Donny. It's not cowardice it's practicality. As has been said the only way to successfully represent those who want a progressive movement is electoral reform. In the interim some sort of coalition is needed to oust the Tories.
