Politics at Westminster | BREAKING: UKIP

Does the boundary committee not have any neutral checks and balances in place? *he asked in naive hope*
Boundaries aren't actually that big a factor in the bias. Just an inevitable quirk of using FPTP in a multi-party system. Doesn't work, basically.
 
Of course not. But with the current electoral system and state of the electorate, you can't afford to go very far to the left of Blair in order to get a majority. Marginal constituencies just won't go for it, I'm afraid, and they hold the power.

What is your evidence for this?
 
It's actually kind of the other way round, in that less people can vote for Labour across the country per MP elected. A number of factors feed into that, notably the tendency of Labour supporters to be the unlikeliest to vote, and them having a relatively more efficient vote spread across the country (they lose big, win small more often than tories).

If you look at constituency electorate numbers, my point is that in typically Labour voting areas, we have an above average number of electorate per constituency. So while they don't have to vote to win (since most are safe Labour seats anyway), if all 70-80 thousand did actually vote, then they'd be wasting 10, 20, 30 thousand votes in those regions, compared to some constituencies which have only 50, 60 thousand in them.

Like I said though, regardless of who it would actually help, the constituency - electorate ratio should be much more even. Then we can work on making sure more working class people turn up to the fecking polling station.
 
If we fixed constituency boundaries to be, say, 70000 electorate per constituency and ensured the electorate actually voted, Scottish independence wouldn't hurt Labour too much. The problem Labour have is that their voters typically don't vote, combined with constituencies like Manchester, where we have over 80000 potential peoples' votes counting for the same as a potential 50000 elsewhere in the country.

But you're right, as it is, Scottish fecking off would ruin Labour.

Making the constituencies fair is nigh on impossible isn't it, comparing North Yorks with Lambeth for example. I guess you can't change population density. You'll never please everyone is the only real conclusion.
 
What is your evidence for this?
Common sense and a vague understanding of electoral maths. Constituencies that regularly switch between Labour and Conservatives don't seem the type to be open to genuinely socialist policies.
 
Making the constituencies fair is nigh on impossible isn't it, comparing North Yorks with Lambeth for example. I guess you can't change population density. You'll never please everyone is the only real conclusion.

Nah, it'd be pretty easy. Plot population density over the UK. Work out, realistically, how large an area one MP can be expected to represent. Work out the min/max number of electorate you can fit in that. There you have you average electorate per constituency. Then divide the country up based on that. You'll get about 95 constituencies in and around London probably and about 3 in north Yorkshire, but to my mind that's the fairest way of doing it. I would have thought low population density areas have much less to worry about anyway. I mean, what's even in Yorkshire except fields and hills?

It's been voted on a few times I think but the Tories have always batted it down. There are a few logistical problems that'd arise but it could be done, I think.
 
Common sense and a vague understanding of electoral maths. Constituencies that regularly switch between Labour and Conservatives don't seem the type to be open to genuinely socialist policies.


they key is to get IN...and make some changes that the majority will like. It really is a power game. Bit cynical I know...but you gotta do what you gotta do.
 
Boundaries aren't actually that big a factor in the bias. Just an inevitable quirk of using FPTP in a multi-party system. Doesn't work, basically.

So you are proportional representation? I dunno, but is that not mote likely to result in hung parliaments all the time?
 
Nah, it'd be pretty easy. Plot population density over the UK. Work out, realistically, how large an area one MP can be expected to represent. Work out the min/max number of electorate you can fit in that. There you have you average electorate per constituency. Then divide the country up based on that. You'll get about 95 constituencies in and around London probably and about 3 in north Yorkshire, but to my mind that's the fairest way of doing it. I would have thought low population density areas have much less to worry about anyway. I mean, what's even in Yorkshire except fields and hills?

It's been voted on a few times I think but the Tories have always batted it down. There are a few logistical problems that'd arise but it could be done, I think.
The tories tried to equalise constituency size, it would've benefitted them to the tune of about 20 seats I think. The trouble lies in deciding where to put the boundaries, which wards you put in one constituency rather than another. You can plan it in such a way to make your vote extremely efficient, and the opposition's inefficient. US Republicans have delivered a masterclass of this over the last decade or so.
 
Common sense and a vague understanding of electoral maths. Constituencies that regularly switch between Labour and Conservatives don't seem the type to be open to genuinely socialist policies.

Why not? They're hardly 'regularly switching' between Enoch Powell and Tony Benn. They are both Thatcherite parties these days. I say again, the NHS is a 'genuinely socialist' policy, and is about as popular here as Islam in Saudi Arabia.

Where's your evidence that policies that are polled as popular among the British public wouldn't be popular enough in these marginal constituencies to pull in a Labour vote?
 
Nah, it'd be pretty easy. Plot population density over the UK. Work out, realistically, how large an area one MP can be expected to represent. Work out the min/max number of electorate you can fit in that. There you have you average electorate per constituency. Then divide the country up based on that. You'll get about 95 constituencies in and around London probably and about 3 in north Yorkshire, but to my mind that's the fairest way of doing it. I would have thought low population density areas have much less to worry about anyway. I mean, what's even in Yorkshire except fields and hills?

It's been voted on a few times I think but the Tories have always batted it down. There are a few logistical problems that'd arise but it could be done, I think.

Yeah but sounds like you parliament would have about 8,000 MPs. What about the tax take from the little population-wise but massive geographically North Yorks enclave? You are marginalising a massive wealthy area in favour of a densely populated shithole that will naturally favour Labour.
 
The tories tried to equalise constituency size, it would've benefitted them to the tune of about 20 seats I think. The trouble lies in deciding where to put the boundaries, which wards you put in one constituency rather than another. You can plan it in such a way to make your vote extremely efficient, and the opposition's inefficient. US Republicans have delivered a masterclass of this over the last decade or so.

They've voted against it several times, have they not? I know you can gerrymander the boundaries, the thing I was aiming for is the fairest boundaries possible. With a roughly equal electorate (not geographical size) I can't see how you'd benefit the tories that much, looking at the actual constituencies and their size at the moment.
 
Why not? They're hardly 'regularly switching' between Enoch Powell and Tony Benn. They are both Thatcherite parties these days. I say again, the NHS is a 'genuinely socialist' policy, and is about as popular as Islam in Saudi Arabia.

Where's your evidence that policies that are polled as popular among the British public wouldn't be popular enough in these marginal constituencies to pull in a Labour vote?

Labor needs someone who actually 'believes' not just another politician.
 
So you are proportional representation? I dunno, but is that not mote likely to result in hung parliaments all the time?
It would, but there would be a greater spread of parties with clearer identities, less squabbling over middle ground voters and no wasted votes or electoral bias. It's the system used by the vast majority of modern democracies for good reason.
 
Yeah but sounds like you parliament would have about 8,000 MPs. What about the tax take from the little population-wise but massive geographically North Yorks enclave? You are marginalising a massive wealthy area in favour of a densely populated shithole that will naturally favour Labour.

It'd have roughly the same number. Average electorate size right now isn't much above 60 thousand I don't think. What about the tax intake? I'm proposing that every person's vote should count for the same amount, regardless of the average wealth of the constituency in which they live, without resorting to PR, perma hung parliament.
 
think people will make deals to get things done. I never understood this so called 'hung parliament' issue being raised when the price is each vote has equal value.

Coalations are unusual in the UK but common in say Germany. Yes you have a check and balance, eg Libs trying to water down Tory policy, but then is compromise something no-one ends up believing in?
 
Tell you what lads, isn't much to be proud about living in Ireland these days, but I'm at least proud that we haven't seen even a hint of a far-right uprising.

Saying that, we must be the most centrist country in the world.

Our traditional big 3 parties:

1. Slightly centre-right.
2. Even less slightly centre-left.
3. Nominally left, realistically slightly centre-left.

Sinn Fein got the third most votes in this election and are left, but apart from that it's central station.
 
It would, but there would be a greater spread of parties with clearer identities, less squabbling over middle ground voters and no wasted votes or electoral bias. It's the system used by the vast majority of modern democracies for good reason.

bingo....

I am for any system that decentralizes power. will take 'inefficiencies' to 'efficient' power which f*ucks the average guy.
 
It'd have roughly the same number. Average electorate size right now isn't much above 60 thousand I don't think. What about the tax intake? I'm proposing that every person's vote should count for the same amount, regardless of the average wealth of the constituency in which they live, without resorting to PR, perma hung parliament.

Your system would have a heavier SE bias though.
 
It would, but there would be a greater spread of parties with clearer identities, less squabbling over middle ground voters and no wasted votes or electoral bias. It's the system used by the vast majority of modern democracies for good reason.

Maybe, but then Labour and even LibDems have drifted to the centre to get votes. The outliers with a clear identity, eg BNP and Ukip (regardless of tonight) will not be backed in elections.
 
Maybe, but then Labour and even LibDems have drifted to the centre to get votes. The outliers with a clear identity, eg BNP and Ukip (regardless of tonight) will not be backed in elections.

all that has happened is they are playing the cards they have been dealt with.

Over here with all the gerrymandering the views of the majority are being subverted by the minority.

EDIT: I should say an ill informed/dis informed minority...who consistently vote against their own interests.
 
Coalations are unusual in the UK but common in say Germany. Yes you have a check and balance, eg Libs trying to water down Tory policy, but then is compromise something no-one ends up believing in?
No one believed in New Labour but the leaders. No one but David Cameron really believes in what he wants the the Conservative party to be. It's not that different trying to bridge two parties differences to trying to bridge the gap between one party's base and their leadership.
 
The real takeaway from the Irish and UK elections - don't be a left-wing junior partner in a coalition with the right.