28th January 2009 

Cllr. John Marjoram responds to letters in the SNJ arguing that a vote for the Green Party simply means a vote for the Conservatives. 

Your recent letters on the forthcoming General Election highlight the democratic deficit that exists in this Country in comparison to most of our European partners. In particular, our electoral system of "first past the post" that has the potential of electing an MP in a four-corner fight on only 26 percent of the vote. Add to this the percentage who decide not to use their democratic right to vote, possibly as high as 30%, and it becomes anything but representative. It has been calculated that it only requires 80,000 people to change their political allegiance in marginal seats to change a government. 

There was a pledge in Labour's 1997 general election manifesto for a referendum on a more proportional electoral system. Twelve years down the line and despite backing from the LibDems, Scottish Nationalists, Plaid Cymru and the Greens, nothing substantial has materialised. What makes it even more interesting is that in 1947 our Government designed a proportional voting system for the then West German administration, which is still in place today.

What the "first past the post" system ensures in this country is that the political status quo remains. Nothing is more obvious to this fact than when Gordon Brown took over the reigns of Treasury in 1997 and announced a few days later that he was going to abide by Conservative financial direction for the next 18 months.  

Recent letters to the SNJ implying that a vote for LibDem or Green is merely a vote that allows the Conservatives to gain power epitomises this lack of democracy.  It is tragic that, because the difference between Labour and Conservative is now so thin, the threat of keeping one or other party from winning is the only political weapon they have.

Proportional representation would reinvigorate our whole political system at all levels.  It would engage the public in creative and positive debate and restore interest and confidence in something that is currently dying. 

Yours

Cllr. John Marjoram