Tag Archives: Proportional representation

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Labour’s crackdown on free thinkers: it’s bad for the party and politics

‘Sir Keir talks about who he is and what he identifies with, but says very little about the causes of the present crises that need to be tackled.’ Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
‘Sr Cir tōcs abt hu h z n ẃt h îdnṭfîz wɖ, bt sz vri litl abt ɖ cōzz v ɖ preznt crîsīz ɖt nīd t b tacld.’ Foṭgraf: Fíl Nobl/Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Lebr’z cracdǎn on fri ʈncrz: it’s bad fr ɖ parti n poḷtics

Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 3 July 2023

Ɖ muv agnst Nìl Lwsn iluṃnets a wîdr straṭji t marć Lebr evr rîtẉdz undr ɖ cuvr v big pouļīdz

Munde, 3 Jlî 2023

Ɖ  Lebr parti’z dsiźn t ʈretn t xpel wn v its līdñ ʈncrz aftr 44 yirz v membrśp z a p’liticl mscalkleśn. Nìl Lwsn z ɖ d’rectr v ɖ pṛgresiv ʈnctanc Cumṗs, hu prīvịsli wrct az an advîzr t Gordn Brǎn n Pītr Mandlsn. Mr Lwsn z no leftwñr, sm v hūm r biyñ prjd bî Sr Cir Starmr on îdịlojicl grǎndz. Instd h ćampịnd ɖ libṛl tṛdiśn v p’liticl n deṃcratic plŭṛlizm n wz a prîm muvr in mcñ śr sć îdīaz gend cuṛnsi in ɖ parti. Fr hiz eḟts, Mr Lwsn z biyñ śoun ɖ dor – n ɖr r dtrmind eḟts t bundl him ʈru it.

Ɖ ćarjz v dsloylti agnst Mr Lwsn śd b dropt. Ɖe, unforćṇtli, iluṃnet a wîdr straṭji t marć Lebr evr rîtẉdz undr ɖ cuvr v big pouļīdz. Mr Lwsn’z arğmnt fr a pṛgresiv alayns – îɖr a forml páct or a tasit wn – t sev ɖ cuntri fṛm Cnsrṿtiv doṃneśn, z a gd wn. Bt Sr Cir wonts ɖ pṛgresiv tnt t b big inuf onli fr Lebr n ɖ Lib Démz, hu fes of agnst ɖ Toriz – nt ć uɖr – in olmst evri Ñgliś sīt. T dfit a comn eṇmi dz’nt nīd an xplisit páct btwn ɖz partiz ẃn ɖer votrz lendñ s’port wl d. Crūṣ́li, Sr Cir sīmñli wonts t win ʈru bland poḷsiz, n pent hiz oponnts on ɖ left – ɖ Grīnz n ɖ SNP – az īqli radicl n az bad az ɖoz t hiz rît.

Mr Lwsn’z err wz t win ɖ arğmnt in Lebr ovr pṛporśnl repriznteśn. H z rît t wont t brōdn p’liticl dbet n betr rflect votñ intnśnz. In evri postwor ilex́n xpt 2015, mor votrz s’portd sntr-left partiz ɖn sntr-rît wnz, bt Britn’z frst-past-ɖ-post ilectṛl sistm brñz mostli Tori guvnmnts. Mr Lwsn wonts t end ɖt. Hiz campen hd wún ovr Lebr parti s’portrz – n sw a mjoṛti v ɖ public s’port ćenjñ ɖ votñsistm fr ɖ frst tîm sins poulstrz bgan ascñ abt ilectṛl rform in ɖ 1980z. Muvñ t xpel Mr Lwsn bfr ɖ particonfṛns hlps privnt Sr Cir lcñ ǎt v step wɖ popylr sntimnt. Hiz poṣbl dfeṇstreśn fṛm ɖ parti cd b an aṗtîzr ofrd az a prelyd t dinr. Soft-left MPz r lîcli caźltiz in an xpctd śadocabiṇt rīśufl ɖs munʈ.

Britn’z p’liticl steṭs qo z nt wrcñ wel. Mr Lwsn’z anaḷsis abt ẃ ɖs wz ɖ ces hz cost him. Bt sins 2010 Lebr līdrz hv bn ilectd on îdīaz abt ic̣nomic n sośl rform emd at trnsformñ ɖ cuntri. Sr Cir wz no difṛnt. Upn winñ pǎr, hvr, h dićt ɖs program. Apart fṛm Ed Miḷband’z grīn ajnda, vri litl v substns hz imrjd sins. Taxñ prîṿt scūlz t fund £56m v boṇsz t cīp tīćrz in ɖ pṛfeśn z lîc pentñ a hǎs ɖt z abt t c’laps. Sr Cir tōcs abt hu h z n ẃt h îdnṭfîz wɖ, bt sz vri litl abt ɖ cōzz v ɖ preznt crîsīz ɖt nīd t b tacld. Riaḷti wl cać p wɖ huevr z in pǎr. Ol poḷtiśnz śd b an inigma, on hūm votrz pṛjct ɖer ǒn vyz. Bt ppl b’liv in ppl hu b’liv in smʈñ. Sr Cir z yt t se h b’livz in enʈñ mć bynd himslf. Ɖt z a mstec.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: After 44 years, Labour is expelling me. And my MP and activist friends are asking: who will be next?

Labour leader Keir Starmer at County Hall, London, 27 June 2023. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Lebr līdr Cir Starmr at Cǎntihōl, Lundn, 27 Jūn 2023. Foṭgraf: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Aftr 44 yirz, Lebr z xpelñ m. N mî MP n acṭvist frendz r ascñ: hu wl b nxt?

Transcription of a Guardian article of 30 June 2023

Ɖr sīm t b bŭliz at ɖ top hu d’nt unḍstand plŭṛlizm. Ɖe si onli tru b’livrz n sworn eṇmiz

Neal Lawson

Nìl Lwsn, Frîde, 30 Jūn 2023

Last Frîde an īmeil fṛm ɖ Lebr parti – v ẃć I’v bn a membr fr 44 yirz – brouc mî p’liticl hart. Ɖe rout coldli t tel m ɖt bac in Me 2021, I’d cmitd a crîm: rītwītñ a Lib Dém MP’z cōl fr sm votrz t bac Grīn canddets in locl ilex́nz, acumṗnid bî mî sjsćn ɖt sć crosparti cooṗreśn reprizntd “grounup pṛgresiv poḷtics”. Mî puniśmnt? Xpulśn.

Ẃ dd I se ɖt, ẃ on rʈ am I biyñ xpeld fr it, n ẃt mt it mīn fr ɖ fyćr v ǎr poḷtics? I sd it fr tū rīznz. Frst, bcz ɖ pṛgresiv mjoṛti in ǎr cuntri z ʈwortd bî ɖ ilectṛl sistm. Vots on ɖ rît g olmst xclusivli t ɖ Toriz, bt ɖ pṛgresiv vot z olwz split btwn Lebr, Lib Démz n Grīnz. Undr frst past ɖ post (FPƉP) ɖ Cnsrṿtivz win on a mnoṛti v ɖ vot, agn n agn. Cooṗreśn btwn pṛgresivz jst mcs sns.

Bt ɖ riyl rīzn I sd it z bcz cooṗreśn z ẃt ppl d ẃn ɖe hv brōdli śerd golz bt brñ difṛnt atṛbyts n îdīaz t ɖ tebl. In evri aspect v ǎr dêli lîvz, w s’xid ẃn w wrc rspctḟli wɖ uɖrz. It’s cōld plŭṛlizm, n it seḷbrets ǎr difṛnsz in ɖ śr-fîr nolij ɖt eni fyćr wrʈ hvñ z wn w ngośiet wɖ uɖrz rɖr ɖn wn impozd on s.

Ɖ Lebr parti wz fǎndd on ɖ prínsipl v plŭṛlizm: it wz a feḍreśn v tredyńnz n soṣ́list ssaytiz ɖt cooṗretd fr a comn prṗs. Its iniśl ilectṛl brecʈru cem in 1906 bcz ɖ Libṛl parti std asd in 30 sīts. Ɖ spîn v Lebr’z rmarcbl 1945 maṇfesto cem fṛm ɖ Libṛl mîndz v Jon Mênard Cīnz n Wiłm Beṿrij. N ɖen, bfr 1997, Toni Bler n Padi Aśdǎn forjd a stroñ bond t gt ɖ Toriz ǎt n uśr a ny Britn in.

Tde Lebr caunslrz wrc hand in hand wɖ Grīnz n Lib Démz t dfnd cḿṇtiz fṛm Tori cuts. In Wêlz Lebr runz ɖ cuntri s’xesḟli in alayns wɖ Plaid Cymru, ɖ Wlś naśṇlists.

Ɖs rịlistic n hopfl poḷtics z ɖ hart n soul v Lebr. It fîndz mīnñfl xpreśn nǎ in ɖ oṿẃlmñ bacñ v membrz n yńnz fr pṛporśnl repriznteśn (PR), so ɖt ol vots cǎnt īqli n ɖus būst ɖ Lib Démz n ɖ Grīnz at ɖ xpns v ɖ Toriz. It sjsts a wrld in ẃć Lebr dz az wel az poṣbl bt nz ɖt guṿnñ wɖ uɖrz z betr ɖn luzñ alon. Ɖs z ẃr I stand – on ɖ śoldrz v jaynts sć az Jon Smiʈ, Nìl Ciṇc, Robin Cc, Mo Mǒḷm n tde, Ed Miḷband n Andi Brnm. So, ẃ yz an uncntnśs twīt fṛm ovr tū yirz ago t trî t xpel m?

Ɖ rīzn z ɖt ɖ parti-mśīn z no longr run in ɖs loñ n rić spirit v plŭṛlizm. It hz bn capćrd bî a clīc hu si onli tru b’livrz or sworn eṇmiz. Ɖe r bhevñ lîc plêgrǎnd bŭliz, yzñ ppl’z desṗreśn t gt rid v Toriz n ɖ liṃteśnz v ɖ votñsistm t infors diṣplin intrṇli n xtrṇli. Ol ɖs z fast amǎntñ t an abysiv rleśnśp in ẃć frst past ɖ post gvz membrz no rịlistic oltrṇtiv parti t līv fr, n ɖ votrz nẃr els t pt ɖer cros. PR z ɖ rùt t a pṛgresiv snć̣ri, bt fr ɖ Lebr mśīn ɖt wd mīn sacṛfîsñ its doṃnirñ pǎr: most v its bhevyr nǎ oriɉnetd in ɖs paṛnôd, top-dǎn we v p’liticl ʈncñ.

It dz’nt sīm t matr t ɖ clīcs at ɖ top ɖt īvn mîldli radicl poḷsiz r biyñ junct or wōtrd dǎn – fṛm rentcntrolz t ɖ £28bn-a-yir grīn trnziśn – or ɖt Lebr’z līdr ćuzz ɖ Rūṗt Mrdoc paʈ t pǎr ovr ɖ pṛgresiv-mjoṛti rùt. Ɖe bat awe sjsćnz ɖt īvn f Lebr rūl wl b betr ɖn ɖ Cnsrṿtivz, it wl nt b gd inuf t dīl wɖ a prṃcrîsis wrld, n its śeci hold on pǎr cd denjṛsli pev ɖ we t oʈoṛterịn popylizm. Mor ɖn enʈñ, ɖ mśīn dz’nt cer f ɖr’z an absns v hop in its project: it dz’nt matr ẃt y ʈnc or fīl, so loñ az y obījntli s’port it.

I fīl a dīp sadnis ɖt I’v traid t d mî bit t mc Lebr a mor hopfl, ambiśs, jenṛs n cmpaśṇt ples, n evrʈñ hz cm t ɖs end. I fīl ɖ hrt v siyñ mî MP n acṭvist frendz caud bî ɖ fir ɖt ɖe me b nxt; ɖt ɖe mst wōc sm arbitrri lîn ɖt cīps ɖm constntli woćñ ɖer bacs. I fīl śoct ɖt ɖ fax́ṇlizm I wornd agnst at ɖ start v ɖ yir in ɖz pejz hz tecn its rvnj n priti mć pruvd ɖ pônt: it’s a peti tiṛni. It wl b trajic f ɖs z ɖ culćr Lebr tecs intu guvnmnt, bcz it wl fel. N it’s nt partibyṛcrats hu wl pe ɖ prîs, bt ɖ neśn.

Poḷtics cn b bytifl or brūtl. It cn b a ples v drīmz n hop, c’lectiv indevr, jeṇroṣti n luv. Or it cn dnî ol ɖoz ʈñz. In hiz aḷgoricl ple Ɖ Crūṣbl, abt ɖ MCarʈiît wićhunts in ɖ YS, Arʈr Milr raits: “Y nǒ in ol yr blac harts ɖt ɖs b frōd … Y r pŭlñ Hevn dǎn!”

Lebr’z prṣktrz n wićfîndrz r’nt ɖ bst v ɖ parti, jst ɖ ppl hu cuṛntli hapn t b at ɖ top. Ɖe r hard bt britl. Inevitbli, lîc ol bŭliz, ɖe hv t b jenṛsli bt frmli std p t, untl ɖe unḍstand ɖer ǒn inṣkṛtiz n cn start t hīl. T mî akzrz, I ɖrfr snd mî luv.

Y cn fît olmst enʈñ bt ɖ zîtgîst, ɖt inevitbl spirit ɖt śeps ǎr lîvz. Tde, in ɖ fes v inorṃs ćaḷnjz n oṗtyṇtiz, ol w hv z ǎr inṭcnctidnis n ǎr śerd hymaṇti. Pluralism, ɖt ugli bt pǎrfl wrd, z ɖ fors ɖt wl śep enʈñ ɖt z pṛgresiv. Bcz it z rît, it z gd, bcz it wrcs n ppl olmst evrẃr nǒ it. Ɖs vri hymn truʈ z ɖ oṗzit v ɖ mesij I wz snt in ɖt cold n clinicl īmeil. Smẃr in ɖer harts, I sspct ɖ ppl hu rout it nǒ ɖt az wel.

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Nìl Lwsn z d’rectr v ɖ cros-parti campen orġnîześn Cumṗs

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: There is a way to oust the Tories, and stop them ever rising again. Why won’t we do it?

‘Ẃ w’nt Cir Starmr n Lebr’z old gard … g wɖ ɖ flo v last wīc’s rzults?’ Ɖ Lebr līdr teḷfonz votrz on poulñ de, 4 Me 2023. Foṭgraf: Stefan Rousseau/PA
‘Ẃ w’nt Cir Starmr n Lebr’z old gard … g wɖ ɖ flo v last wīc’s rzults?’ Ɖ Lebr līdr teḷfonz votrz on poulñ de, 4 Me 2023. Foṭgraf: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Ɖr z a we t ǎst ɖ Toriz, n stop ɖm evr rîzñ agn. Ẃ w’nt w d it?

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 9 May 2023)

Nǎ ɖ dust hz setld on ɖ locl ilex́nz, cǎnt ɖ rîtwñ vots n ɖen ɖ pṛgresiv wnz, n si ẃ PR z mor vîtl ɖn evr

Neal Lawson

Nìl Lwsn, Tyzde 9 Me 2023

Amd ɖ p’liticl sǎnd n fyri stl rvrḅretñ aftr ɖ sêizmic locl ilex́nz in Ñgḷnd, ɖr z a qaytr bt dtrmind nôz eṃnetñ fṛm ɖ cǎntiz n śîrz. It z ɖ sǎnd v a ny poḷtics, best nt on hybris or partitrîḅlizm bt a b’lif ɖt, in ɖz complex, fast-muvñ tîmz, onli cros-parti cooṗreśn cn win pǎr n yz it ifctivli.

In Hartsmir n Bracnl, in Luis n Weṿli, acrs ɖ Lundn cḿtr blt in Suri, Cnt, Hartfdśr, Susix n mor, pṛgresiv-parti acṭvists rfyzd t b bìtn bî an ilectṛl sistm ɖt z stact agnst ɖm.

Ɖer s’xes wz drivn bî tū simpl facts. Frst, on ɖ rgresiv sîd v ɖ baḷtpepr ɖr wz onli wn ples t pt yr X, on ɖ pṛgresiv sîd, at līst ʈri. Tîrd v splitñ ɖ vot n letñ ɖ rît ʈru on a mnoṛtiśer v ɖ vot, acṭvists hv bn wrcñ undr ɖ redar t foc̣s ẃr ɖe cn win. Ɖs dīp tacticl campenñ ɖen alînz wɖ unpresdntd levlz v tacticl votñ, n ɖ rzults fr ɖ Toriz wr devstetñli bad.

Secnd, ɖ alarmñ bt comn nolij ɖt w liv in a prṃcrîsis wrld v ic̣nomic, jioṗliticl, tecṇlojicl n clîṃt ceos. W nīd an indyrñ n trnsforṃtiv ny pṛgresiv cnsnss, lîc ɖt v 1945, bt, unlîc ɖt postwor setlmnt, it’s nt gwñ t cm fṛm a sngl-parti sors bt a multiparti’layns.

Ẃt brñz ɖs obvịs ilectṛl n guṿnñ poḷtics tgɖr z, v cors, pṛporśnl repriznteśn (PR). Ɖ ofr t ćenj ǎr votñsistm galṿnîzz ɖ letnt pṛgresiv mjoṛti in ǎr cuntri n enśurz ɖ Toriz cn nvr guvn agn wɖt a mjoṛti v ɖ cuntri bacñ ɖm. It ofrz ɖ posbiḷti v a loñ-trm n stebl cọliśn t tec on ɖ rībildñ v ɖ NHS, alñ wɖ ʈǎzndz v ny aforḍbl homz n ɖ rês t net ziro.

N yt ɖs ny poḷtics v cooṗreśn z haṗnñ dspt partilīdrz, nt bcz v ɖm. Sadli, Lebr z ɖ bigist bloc wɖ its līdrśp rpitidli clemñ PR w’nt b in its maṇfesto ẃl rjctñ cooṗreśn.

Ɖs cd b ilectṛl suisîd. Ol ɖ sīńr poulñpundits pridict Lebr wl strugl t win a mjoṛti at ɖ nxt jenṛl ilex́n. Wɖ ɖ locl rzults sjstñ a naśnl-iqivḷnt līd v jst sevn psntijpônts, evrʈñ pônts t a huñ parḷmnt. T pt ɖs in pspctiv, Ed Miḷband dd betr n wnt on t lūz in 2015, n in 1996 Ny Lebr wz 14 pônts ahd v ɖ Toriz.

Last wīc bròt a starc rmîndr v ɖ absrdti v Lebr nt bacñ PR. In ɖ Bedḟd meṛl ilex́n, ɖ pṛgresiv vot wz mor ɖn 30,000, ɖ Tori vot jst 16,000. Bt ɖ Toriz wún bî 145 vots. Pṛgresivz cntiny t dvîd, n ɖ rît cntinyz t concr.

Lebr hz a ćôs. A fyćr undr ǎr cuṛnt frst-past-ɖ-post (FPƉP) votñ sistm mīnz ɖ ppl wɖ riyl inflụns r a fy swñvotrz in a fy swñsīts, pǎrfl mīdịbáṛnz hu set ɖ nyz’jnda n wlʈi donrz hu śep ɖ poḷsi ofr in ɖer inṭrests.

Ɖ oltrṇtiv z t apil t ɖ cuntri’z letnt pṛgresiv mjoṛti ɖt gz bac decedz. Last Ʈrzde, ɖs pṛgresiv vot amǎntd t ovr 60%, ẃl ɖ Toriz scord jst 29%. T moḅlîz it mīnz recgnîzñ ɖt difṛns n dîvrṣti, wɖn a brōdli comn valyset, z a streñʈ nt a wìcnis n ɖt ɖ bst fyćr z ngośietd nt impozd. Criticli it alǎz s t win ilex́nz bî spīcñ t ɖ inṭrests v ɖ sntr n left, nt ɖ rît.

Bt ẃ w’nt Cir Starmr n Lebr’z old gard tec ɖs sīmñli obvịs rùt t win, n g wɖ ɖ flo v last wīc’s rzults?

Tori HQ n its pres atacdogz wl trî t unḍmain it, prisîsli bcz ɖe fir a traficlît pinsrmuvmnt. Bt f a huñ parḷmnt sīmz most lîcli, ɖen it’s bst t priper fr it.

Hvr, Lebr’z nrṿs hîrarci sīmz wilñ t d enʈñ t mnten its mnoṗli v opziśn n ɖ dispṛporśṇt pǎr it gvz it. Ɖr cn b no ny partiz undr FPƉP bcz ɖ entribarịrz r tù hî. Rmembr, it tecs jst 50,000 vots p’ Lebr MP bt fr ɖ Grīnz ɖt’s 865,000. It z a deṃcratic obseṇti dzînd t enśur uɖr poḷtiśnz n votrz despṛt t dīl wɖ ɖ clîṃt crîsis, pṛtct sivl liḅtiz or iradcet poṿti hv nẃr els t g.

Lebr straṭjists wl b gamḅlñ ɖt ɖ Grīn n Lib Dem votśer cn b sqizd. Bt ɖz r’nt ɖ deḟrenśl dez v ɖ last snć̣ri, ppl wl fînd n vot fr ẃt ɖe si az betr oltrṇtivz.

Jrñ ɖ līdrśp ilex́n, Starmr sd: “W’v got t adres ɖ fact ɖt miłnz v ppl vot in sefsīts n ɖe fīl ɖer vot dz’nt cǎnt.” H wz rît ɖen. H c’nt b alaud t b roñ nǎ.

Ɖ stecs cd nt b hayr: ɖ sulfyṛs ẃif v rîtwñ oʈoṛterịnizm z olrdi stîḟlñ. W nīd coopṛtiv poḷtics az an act v slf-inṭrest n hop.

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Nìl Lwsn z d’rectr v ɖ cros-parti campen orġnîześn Cumṗs

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm ɖ Gardịn: Truss is on an economic rampage with no mandate – so why is Starmer resisting electoral reform?

‘The Daily Mail gravely warns that “scrapping first-past-the-post could put the Tories out of power for a generation”.’ Keir Starmer and Liz Truss. Composite: Getty Images
‘Ɖ Dêli Meil grevli wornz ɖt “scrapñ frst-past-ɖ-post cd pt ɖ Tōriz ǎt v pǎr fr a jeṇreśn”.’ Cir Starmr n Liz Trus. Comṗzit: Geti Iṃjz

Trus z on an ic̣nomic rampej wɖ no mandet – so ẃ z Starmr rzistñ ilectṛl rform?

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 25 September 2022)

Bérli enwn votd fr slaśt taxz, n fevrz śǎrd on ɖ rić. Yt ɖ Lebr līdrśp stl ʈncs a rigd votñsistm cn b yzd fr pṛgresiv endz

John Harris

Jon Haris, Súnde 25 Sptmbr 2022

Ʈancs t ɖ fībrîl stet v ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti, Wsminstr poḷtics sīmz t b loct intu ɖ tṛjectri v a rapidli dfletñ b’lūn. Poḷsiz n big îdīaz zūm intu ɖ fōrgrǎnd n jst az qcli rsid; miṇstirịl c’rirz rîz n fōl in onli a fy yirz. Ɖ onli constnts sīm t b a ppćl sns v crîsis n ɖ fīlñ ɖt, no matr hǎ bad it gts, Tori guvnmnt rmenz Britn’z dfōlt pziśn. Amd rseśn, mǎntñ poṿti n ɖ prospect v a strlñcrîsis, olmst nwn evr mnśnz a glẹrñ sistmfełr: ɖ fact ɖt w r rūtīnli guvnd bî ppl wɖ onli ɖ flimziist v ilectṛl mandets, f ɖe hv wn at ol.

Ɖ reḷvnt numbrz r starc. Ʈri yirz ago, Boris Jonsn léd ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti t a “landslîd” ilex́nvicṭri n 80-sīt Comnz mjoṛti wɖ ɖ s’port v 29% v ɖ ilectṛt. Az f h ɖen hd pǎr bynd eni rstrent, h set abt trayñ t le west t enʈñ ɖt got in hiz we. Ẃn hiz misrūl bcem tù mć īvn fr hiz ǒn parti, h wz rplest bî Liz Trus, swept intu ofis bî 82,000 Tori membrz, hu repriznt a tîtanic 0.3% v ol votrz.

Trus’z viźn v slaśt taxz, dīreğletd enṭprîz̦onz, an īvn mor unfetrd Siti V Lundn, n fevrz śǎrd on ɖ rić mt b mor chiṛnt ɖn hr prīdisesr’z flelñ oṗtynizm, bt bynd Tori parti membrz, hu votd fr it? Ʈri yirz ago, ɖ Cnsrṿtivz ofrd ɖ ilectṛt a viźn v a nyli activ stet n an unrilentñ foc̣s on ɖ YC’z ic̣nomic iniqoḷtiz n imbaḷnsz: t qot fṛm ɖer maṇfesto, “miłnz mor invstd evri wīc in sayns, scūlz, aprenṭśps n infṛstrucćr ẃl cntrolñ dét”. Bʈ ɖoz plejz r nǎ ded: ɖ îdīa v guvnmntspendñ rīśepñ ɖ icoṇmi hz bn sîdlînd bî dīreğleśn n taxcuts, n ɖ Tōriz r sudnli telñ s ɖt scîroc̣tñ public borowñ z nʈñ t wuri abt.

Ɖ impreśn v a jîgantic hanbreic trn z cnfrmd bî ɖ end v ɖ ban on fracñ – smʈñ ɖ Tori maṇfesto sd wd hapn onli f it wr pruvd t b sef. Ɖ hol unhinjd pacij ofrd bî Trus n hr guvnmnt śrli ćîmz wɖ an īvn smōlr mnoṛti v ɖ ilectṛt ɖn ɖ wn ɖt pt Jonsn in pǎr, bt sć z ɖ deṃcratic graṿti ɖt Cnsrṿtizm maṇjz t dfî: ilex́nz nǎ fīl lîc mir pōzz fr breʈ bfr ẃćvr Tori cbal z cuṛntli in ćarj gts on wɖ dwñ ẃtvr it wonts.

T stet ɖ blîndñli obvịs, ɖ votñsistm ɖt līdz t ɖz ǎtcumz z hoplisli brocn. Bcz ɖ Tōriz’ s’port z īvnli spred arnd nonŕbn Ñgḷnd, it tc arnd 38,000 vots t ilect a Cnsrṿtiv MP in 2019. Fr Lebr, huz s’port z incrisñli clustrd in sitiz, ɖ figr wz 51,000. Ɖ Lib Dems, mnẃl, got wn sīt fr evri 334,000 vots cast, ẃl ɖ Grīnz’ solitri MP, Caṛlîn Lūc̣s, sat atop a mǎntin v 865,000.

Clirli, frst-past-ɖ-post z ifctivli rigd. It z ɖ rīzn ẃ Tori guvnmnts cn stl lord it ovr Scotḷnd n Wêlz, n ɖrfr a ci factr in ɖ freyñ v ɖ YC (yńnists òt t olso b alarmd at hǎ mć ɖ sistm asists ɖ SNP, huz vots p’ MP r abt 26,000).

Morovr, ʈancs t parḷmntri ẃipñ, ɖ xistñ votñsistm opnz ɖ we fr abṣlut pǎr t b capćrd bî smōl Tori fax́nz, ẃl matrz v hyj naśnl importns r subɉgetd t intrnl batlz – ẃć z ɖ besic stori v ɖ last six yirz v p’liticl hisṭri, startñ wɖ Devid Camṛn’z stypid dsiźn t cōl ɖ Brexit reḟrendm.

Frst past ɖ post olso criets a msplest imij v ɖ public ɖt w tù ofn mstec fr riaḷti. Last wīc ɖ lêtist Britiś sośl-attydz srve rvild plenti v strîcñ fîndñz: in 2011, fr xampl, 42% v rspondnts sd ɖt iṃgreśn wz “bad fr ɖ icoṇmi”, bt ɖt figr hz sins fōḷn t 20%. Mor ɖn haf v s nǎ ʈnc it’s nt importnt t b born in Britn t b “trūli Britiś”, p fṛm 25% in 2013.

Most Britiś ppl tec a libṛl pziśn on qsćnz v sx́l orịnteśn n jndr îdntti, līvñ ɖoz hu ʈnc ɖt sć vyz “hv gn tù far” in a smōl mnoṛti. F poḷtics ofn sīmz t rvolv arnd ɖ îdīa ɖt a big ćunc v ɖ ilectṛt z soṣ́li cnsrṿtiv n fentli netivist, ɖ rîtẉd tilt v ɖ votñ sistm hz a lot t d wɖ it. Pt anɖr we, ɖr z a rīzn hardli enwn woćz GB Nyz.

N so t Lebr. Last wīc bròt līct dītelz v ɖ parti’z consttyśnl rvy, léd bî Gordn Brǎn, ẃć wl apaṛntli rec̣mnd rplesñ ɖ Hǎs v Lordz wɖ an ilectd senit, ny pǎrz fr ɖ YC’z dvolvd guvnmnts, n mor bsdz. Ɖz ʈñz wd hardli b unwelcm, bt ɖ ci elimnts v ɖs ptiklr stori r clir: ɖ absns v enʈñ in Brǎn’z rvy abt hǎ w ilect ɖ Comnz, n ɖ līc’s rɖr sspiśs tîmñ.

Poulñ sjsts ɖt 83% v Lebr membrz nǎ s’port ilectṛl rform. In ɖ bildup t its confṛns ɖs wīc, abt 140 cnstitẏnsipartiz hv sbmitd mośnz cōlñ fr xacli ɖt. Unls bacrūm fixz gt in ɖ we, a reẓluśn pṛpozñ a ny votñsistm śd b dbetd on Munde afṭnun.

Last yir, a cōl fr pṛporśnl repriznteśn wz dfitd ʈancs t ɖ big yńnz – bt Ynisn n Ynît hv sins śiftd ɖer pziśn, n ɖ ppl in ćarj v an umbreḷgrūp cōld Lebr fr a Ny Dmocṛsi sǎnd confidnt ɖt ɖs yir śd si ɖer sîd win. An unḍstandñ v ɖ cōzl linc btwn ǎr endlis naśnl crîsīz n ɖ we w ilect ǎr MPz sīmz t hv wrct its we intu ɖ parti’z c’lectiv soul, n sć big Lebr figrz az ɖ Wlś frst ministr, Marc Drêcḟd, n ɖ Gretr Manćestr mẹr, Andi Brnm, nǎ s’port Lebr’z rformrz.

Unforćṇtli, Cir Starmr n hiz alîz stl si ćenjñ ǎr sistmz v pǎr n poḷtics az an iṛtetñ dstrax́n, n r clirli teṛfaid ɖt eni convseśnz abt cọliśnz n partnrśps wl b a gift t ɖ Tōriz. So Brǎn’z rport wl b frenzidli tōct p, ẃl eni s’xesfl pro-PR mośn wl b ignord. Ɖ Lebr līdr hz olrdi prīemtivli rūld ǎt eni mnśn v votñ rform in ɖ parti’z nxt maṇfesto, a stans cupld wɖ hiz yźl insistns ɖt h wl nt b “dwñ eni dīlz gwñ intu ɖ ilex́n or cmñ ǎt v ɖ ilex́n”.

In uɖr wrdz: ǎr sistmz v pǎr cn b tncrd wɖ bt nt funḍmnṭli ćenjd. Sć z yt anɖr sriyl aspect v ǎr poḷtics: ɖ fact ɖt a parti ɖt nǎ sīmz oṿẃlmñli in fevr v clozñ Britn’z hyj deṃcratic gaps z stl léd bî ppl hu ʈnc ǎr brocn ilectṛl mśīṇri cn b yzd fr pṛgresiv endz.

Wɖ gd rīzn, ɖ Dêli Meil grevli wornz ɖt “scrapñ frst past ɖ post cd pt ɖ Tōriz ǎt v pǎr fr a jeṇreśn”, bt Lebr’z līdrśp sīmz t wont t ple bî ɖ yźl rūlz: jeḷsli gardñ ɖ parti’z custmri rǒl az Wsminstr’z runr-up, n hopñ ɖt it wl cari on gtñ its custmri trn in pǎr wns evri 15 or 20 yirz. Ɖr z a prîs t pe fr ɖt stubņis, n w r siyñ it mor vividli ɖn evr: unhinjd poḷtics n ɖ prospect v yt anɖr unrepriznttiv Tori clīc rīcñ haṿc.

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm ɖ Gardịn │ In an era of electoral fragmentation, Labour must learn to embrace power-sharing

Illustration by Bill Bragg.
Iḷstreśn bî Bil Brag.

In an ira v ilectṛl fragmnteśn, Lebr mst lrn t imbres pǎrśẹrñ

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 28 April 2022)

Ɖ Frenć ilex́n śoud hǎ ilectṛl sistmz śep poḷtics. In ɖ YC, abandnñ frst-past-ɖ-post cd b trnsforṃtiv

Martin Kettle

Martin Cetl, Ʈrzde 28 Epril 2022

Y  hv got t hand it t Charles de Gaulle. Ɖ ilectṛl sistm h crietd fr Frans’z Fifʈ Rpublic hz std ɖ tst v tîm. Mor ɖn six decedz on, ɖs wīc’s riilex́n v De Gaulle’z lêtist s’xesr, Emmanuel Macron, z a rmîndr ɖt ɖ ptiklaṛtiz v ilectṛl sistmz cn set ɖ trmz v a neśn’z poḷtics mor lastñli ɖn w smtmz alǎ. Ɖr’z a mesij fr Britn ɖr tù, bt w wl cm on t ɖt.

De Gaulle’z consttyśn, cnstructd btwn 1958 n 1962, emd at tū golz in ptiklr. Ɖ frst wz t impǎr De Gaulle n hiz s’xesrz t guvn az xektiv prezidnts, imbodiyñ ẃt ɖ jenṛl’z bîogṛfr Jūłn Jacsn cōld “a srtn îdīa v Frans”. Ɖ secnd em wz t cīp ɖ Frenć left, n ɖ Coḿnist parti in ptiklr, ǎt v pǎr fr az loñ az poṣbl.

Ɖ sistm wrct wel fr mor ɖn tū decedz, ispeṣ́li ẃl ɖ impirịsli caṛzmatic De Gaulle wz stl alîv, bfr François Mitterrand deftli rīśept ɖ left ẃl ɖ coḿnists slid intu hisṭri. Sins Mitterrand’z ira, hvr, bʈ ɖ old left n ɖ old rît hv fragmntd intu multipl smōlr partiz. Yt De Gaulle’z ilectṛl sistm wz stl r’bust inuf ɖs wīc t dspać Frans’z xtrim rît vri ifctivli, n fr ɖ ʈrd tîm sins ɖ mleńm. Chapeau t ɖ jenṛl fr ɖt.

Mć v ɖ asesmnt v ɖ 2022 ilex́n hz bn rɖr grujñ abt Macron’z vicṭri. It hz consntretd on hiz prsnl alūfnis, on ɖ ic̣nomic n sośl probḷmz ahd, on ɖ dclîn in hiz mjoṛti sins 2017, n on ɖ 41.5% śer aćivd bî Marine Le Pén in ɖ secnd rǎnd. Ɖz r importnt ʈñz. Ɖ naśnl-asmbli ilex́nz in Jūn wl b mć mesịr. Bt ɖ jujmnts on ɖ preẓdnśl contest unḍple bʈ ɖ rǒl v ɖ Gaullist consttyśn itslf n v Macron’z s’xes in masṭrñ it, smʈñ ẃć iludd hiz tū prīdisesrz, Nicolas Sarkozy n François Hollande.

Macron’z riilex́n śoz ɖt De Gaulle’z sistm stl hz gas in ɖ tanc. Hiz 28% vot in ɖ frst rǎnd on 10 Epril wz at ɖ upr end v ɖ frst-rǎnd scorz aćivd bî most rīsnt Frenć preẓdnśl victrz, ɖo a wrld awe fṛm De Gaulle’z ǒn 45% in ɖ frst rǎnd in 1965. In olmst eni uɖr dmocṛsi, Macron’z 17-pônt marjin v vicṭri ovr Le Pén in ɖ secnd rǎnd wd b rgardd az spectaklr. Bt ɖ rzults obskr ẃt z roñ wɖ ɖ sistm.

Ɖ tū-rǎnd ilectṛl mandet rmenz De Gaulle’z ambivḷnt leġsi t Frenć poḷtics. Hiz consttyśn gvz prezidnts an oʈoṛti ɖt z bʈ riyl (bcz it pṛdysz a clir winr) n iluẓri (bcz most ppl vot fr smwn els or d’nt vot at ol). Ɖ comḅneśn v ɖt mixt mandet n xektiv pǎr svîvz – fr nǎ. Yt it z an incrisñli unstebl wn, ispeṣ́li in a cuntri wɖ Frans’z vigṛs tṛdiśn v strītpoḷtics. Ɖ sistm gvz a vôs t ɖ dvrs p’liticl stansz caṛcṭristic v eni modn dmocṛsi, ẃl olso cuṿrñ ɖm ovr.

Ilectṛl fragmnteśn z nǎ an imbedd fīćr v mni 21st-snć̣ri dmocṛsiz. Ɖ dvîd in ɖ frst rǎnd v Frans’z preẓdnśl ilex́nz z lîc mni similr wnz amñ tde’z Yṛpiyn ilectṛts. Last yir’z Jrmn ilex́n wz a ptiklrli noṭbl ces. Topicli, it olso berz cmparisn wɖ ɖ dvîd in ɖ run-up t Norɖn Îrḷnd’z crūśl asmbli ilex́n nxt wīc.

Mni ppl r stl tmtd t trīt poḷtics az a batl btwn a larj parti v ɖ left n a larj parti v ɖ rît. Mni facts n figrz b’lai ɖs. In Frans, ɖ for strongist finiśrz on 10 Epril capćrd 28%, 23%, 22% n 7% v ɖ vot rspctivli. In Jrṃni last yir, ɖ top for hd 26%, 24%, 15% n 13%. In Norɖn Îrḷnd (ẃr ɖ dvîdz r nt mirli left-rît), ɖ lêtist poulz śo ɖ for strongist partiz r Sinn Féin on 26%, Deṃcratic Yńnists 19%, Alayns 16% n Ulstr Yńnists 13%.

F Norɖn Îrḷnd wz ilectñ a prezidnt undr ɖ Frenć tū-rǎnd sistm, ɖs wd mīn ɖr wd b a secnd-rǎnd run-of btwn Miśél O’Nīl v Sinn Féin n Jefri Donldsn v ɖ DYP. Ɖt’s nvr gwñ t hapn, forćṇtli fr Norɖn Îrḷnd, bcz it wd fyl a hoļi secterịn dnamic. Bt it iḷstrets ɖ inbilt wìcnis v eni ilectṛl sistm, sć az Frans’z, ẃć trnzlets mnoṛtis’port in ɖ frst rǎnd intu a mjoṛterịn mandet in ɖ secnd.

Norɖn Îrḷnd’z vri dlibṛtli dz nt d ɖs. It z rūtd instd in ɖ pǎrśẹrñ prínsiplz n pracṭcaḷtiz v ɖ 1998 Gd Frîde agrīmnt. Ɖs mīnz ɖt Sinn Féin’z xpctd frst-ples finiś on 5 Me wd in riaḷti b a vicṭri v onli a liṃtd cnd, olbiit wn wɖ hedlîn-nyz valy wrldwîd n inorṃs simbolic mīnñ. Ɖt a teritri ɖt wz crietd 101 yirz ago sṗsificli t cut itslf adrift fṛm Îriś rpublic̣nizm śd nǎ ilect a frst ministr fṛm ɖt sem rpublicn tṛdiśn z a mîlston in enwn’z lanḡj.

In ɖoz srcmstansz, ɖo, ɖ ćansz v ɖ DYP agriyñ t noṃnet a depyti frst ministr t wrc alñsd O’Nīl az frst ministr r rmot. Ɖ sem gz fr ɖ posbiḷti v an rli reḟrendm on Îriś yniḟceśn. It z mć mor lîcli ɖt ɖ fełr v ɖ tū mn partiz t wrc tgɖr (bʈ v ɖm me lūz śer v ɖ vot sins ɖ last contest in 2017) wl hesn ɖ rtrn v d’rect rūl fṛm Lundn. F ɖ YC guvnmnt olso średz ɖ Norɖn Îrḷnd proṭcol, az Lord Frost rjd it t d in a spīć on Wnzde, pǎrśẹrñ wl agn b left hî n drî.

Ilectṛl sistmz matr. Jrṃni, Frans n Norɖn Îrḷnd iḷstret sm v ɖ difṛnt wez ɖs wrcs. Bt ɖe r nt unyźl. Ilectṛl sistmz d nt onli rflect poḷtics; ɖe olso śep ɖ we poḷtics z cnductd. Ɖs gz fr Britn tù. Ɖ frst-past-ɖ-post sistm rūtīnli trnz an ilectṛl mnoṛti intu a cnstitẏnsi vicṭri or a parḷmntri mjoṛti. It z part v ɖ rīzn ẃ ǎr poḷtics lcs n sǎndz ɖ we it dz. N it z incrisñli indifnsbl in ɖ pluṛlistic p’liticl clîṃt v ɖ 21st snć̣ri.

Britn’z nxt jenṛl ilex́n me rtrn anɖr huñ parḷmnt, in ẃć ɖ ilectṛt vots fr ćenj bt dz nt gv eni wn parti ɖ mandet t guvn. Rplesmnt v ɖ frst-past-ɖ-post sistm wl nvr b a big dorstep iśu. Bt it wd b a trnsforṃtiv act fr Britn, n wn ɖt a mnoṛti Lebr guvnmnt cd dlivr. Ɖs cuntri’z damijd dmocṛsi z in nīd v its ǒn form v pǎrśẹrñ. It wd b a hyj step twdz crietñ any a srtn îdīa v Britn.

MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn │ If Labour doesn’t fight our broken electoral system, it could be out of power for ever

London mayor Sadiq Khan launching his campaign for re-election, March 2020. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Lundn mẹr Sadiq Cān lōnćñ hiz campen fr riilex́n, Marć 2020. Foṭgraf: Andi Ren/YPA

F Lebr dz’nt fît ǎr brocn ilectṛl sistm, it cd b ǎt v pǎr fr evr

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 18 March 2021)

Priti Ptel’z ćenjz t meṛl ilex́nz intrenć ɖ unfer frst-past-ɖ-post sistm ɖt fevrz ɖ Cnsrvtivz

Poli Tônbi, 18 Marć 2021

Ɖs cuntri z in rvrsgir. Fīl ɖ tîdl tug bcwdz in evrʈñ fṛm xtrim iniqoḷti, t rîzñ inḟntmortaḷti n a rtrit fṛm ci inṭnaśnl alaynsz. Ɖ lêtist rgreśn z ɖ homsecṛtri’z anǎnsmnt ɖt tîni steps twdz a modn votñsistm r t b stamt ǎt. Mẹrz n p’līs n crîm cmiśnrz wl b ilectd on ɖ sem rotn frst-past-ɖ-post (FPƉP) dispṛporśṇt sistm az ɖ Hǎs v Comnz n caunslz.

Untl nǎ ɖoz ilex́nz hv bn run on a supḷmntri-vot sistm, oḟrñ a frst n secnd ćôs: f no canddet gts ovr haf v frst prefṛnsz, ɖ top tū canddets hv a runof, cǎntñ secnd prefṛnsz v ɖ luzrz, gaṛntiyñ ɖ winr’z apruvl bî ovr haf ɖ ilectṛt.

Ɖs sistm hz opnd ɖ dor t indpndnts n smōlr partiz. A votr cd risc ćuzñ Grīn or Ycip frst, wɖ a bacstop secnd ćôs t cīp ǎt ɖer most hetd opśn. Ɖs rpresiv muv wl cut ǎt ny-cmrz, s’krñ ɖ dyoṗli v ɖ tū old partiz. Ẃ d ɖt, ẃn YGuv poulñ śoz 44% v ppl in Britn wont t ćenj t a mor pṛporśnl sistm, agnst 28% opozd? Ppl wel unḍstand ɖ cnspiṛsi t dnî ɖm ćôs: caunslz sć az Havnt in Hampśr ilect onli Tori caunslrz, ɖo 54% votd uɖ̇wz.

Ẃ wd ɖ Tōriz rvrt t FPƉP? Pyr jerimanḍrñ. W cn soulsrć fr dīpr rīznz fr ɖ Cnsrvtivz’ cntinywñ dominns in Wsminstr, bt ɖ gretist cōz z FPƉP ilex́nz. Ɖ guvnmnt z aboḷśñ secnd prefṛnsz bcz Tori canddets r ɖ secnd ćôs v mni fywr votrz. Ɖ rît drouv ǎt, via Brexit, a pṛporśnl sistm fr ɖ Yṛpiyn parḷmnt bî abandnñ it: nǎ ɖe drîv it ǎt v ɖ rmenñ ilex́nz ɖt xpoz hǎ ppl vot wns frìd fṛm ɖ FPƉP stretjacit. A ʈrd v ppl wr forst t vot tacticli in ɖ jenṛl ilex́n v 2019.

Ol ɖs ɖ Tōriz unḍstand, n Lebr mst tù: ǎt v ɖ last 20 ilex́nz sins 1950, 19 hv hd a mjoṛti v votrz ćuzñ partiz t ɖ left v ɖ Tōriz, yt ɖ Cnsrvtivz hv sizd pǎr tū-ʈrdz v ɖ tîm. Boris Jonsn wún hiz 80-sīt mjoṛti on a jst 1.3% incris in votśer ovr T’rīza Me’z lost mjoṛti in 2017.

Cǎntñ vots bî cnstitẏnsi hlps ɖ mor jịgraficli dsprst Tōriz, az Lebr vots r consntretd incrisñli in ŕbn eriaz, dnayñ a naśnl deṃcratic rzult. Ɖt’s ẃ it tc 50,835 vots t ilect a Lebr MP, bt onli 38,264 t ilect a Tori, 336,038 fr a Libṛl Deṃcrat n a śocñ 865,697 fr a Grīn.

Ɖs z’nt jst a Britiś fnominn. A 2015 pepr in ɖ Britiś Jrnl v P’liticl Sayns faund ɖt, in istabliśt dmocṛsiz sins ɖ secnd wrldwor, “cuntriz wɖ mjoṛterịn rūlz mor ofn ilect cnsrvtiv guvnmnts ɖn ɖoz wɖ pṛporśnl-repriznteśn ilectṛl sistmz… Mjoṛterịn sistmz hv a sbstantiv cnsrvtiv bays.”

Ɖt’s ẃ no Tori MPz bac a pṛporśnl sistm fr ɖ Comnz, acordñ t ɖ Ilectṛl Rform Ssayti. Instd ɖ parti jerimandrz bî planñ t brñ in ÎD rqîrmnts at poulñsteśnz, a YS rîtwñrz’ we t bar purr votrz, ɖ non-drîvrz, non-pasportholdrz n rentrz frīqntli muvñ rezidns. It stamps on atmts t gv 16-yir-olds ɖ vot ɖt ɖe hv loc̣li in Scotḷnd n Wêlz. Litl eḟt z invstd in updetñ ilectṛl rejistrz, az Lebr votrz r at most risc v xcluźn. Ɖ nxt bǎnḍri ćenjz bî 2024 wl criet mor Tori sīts in ɖ sǎʈ, az Lebr pîlz p westd ŕbn vots.

A devstetñ rport fṛm Cumṗs xpozz ɖ nir-imposbiḷti v Lebr winñ alon at ɖ nxt ilex́n. W Dvîd, Ɖe Concr, bî Gres Barnit n Nìl Lwsn, śoz Lebr nǎ nīdz at līst a 10.52% swñ, gretr ɖn in 1945 n 1997. Ɖs grim anaḷsis śd b cmpulsri rīdñ fr evri Lebr MP, membr n s’portr. Ɖs mcs an iṛfytbl ces fr a páct v sm cnd btwn ol sntr n sntr-left partiz. Ɖ rport fîndz ɖer 2019 maṇfestoz rmarcbli similr. It mt tec opn prîṃriz, stand-asîdz or, at ɖ vri līst, tacticl ilex̣́nirñ. Ɖr r vrć̣li no LibDem-Lebr contests, az olmst ol LibDem wiṇbl sīts cnfrunt Tori MPz. A pṛgresiv alayns winñ jst wns on a platform cmitd t ilectṛl rform wd ćenj ɖ p’liticl lanscep fr evr. N, v cors, ɖ Tōriz nǒ it.

Cir Starmr inḍcets opņis t rform. Lebr hz mni mor MPz in fevr v pṛporśnl repriznteśn nǎ ɖn in ɖ darc dez ẃn dîṇsorz sć az Jac Strw stopt Toni Bler fṛm impḷmentñ Rô Jncinz’ cmiśn on PR. Gordn Brǎn z hedñ a consttyśnl rvy, radicl on dīṿluśn n ɖ Hǎs v Lordz, bt ɖ parti nīdz t tec ɖ plunj fr PR or it wl nvr b in pǎr t ćenj enʈñ. Start mcñ ɖ brōdr ces nǎ bî vsifṛsli opozñ ɖ guvnmnt’s atmt t riimpoz FPƉP on ɖz ilex́nz. Hir’z ɖ ćôs fr Lebr: śer pǎr most v ɖ tîm, or b ǎt v pǎr most v ɖ tîm – or, poṣbli, fr evr.

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn │ As events in the US have shown, two-party politics is no longer fit for purpose

Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Doṇld Trump n Jo Bîdn. Foṭgraf: Jim Wotsn/AFP/Geti Iṃjz

Az ivnts in ɖ YS hv śoun, tū-parti poḷtics z no longr fit fr prṗs

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 16 February 2021)

Lrćñ fṛm Obama t Trump t Bîdn, ɖ sistm dnîz cọliśnz v compṛmîz. N in ɖ YC, ć parti z rivn wɖ conflict

Poli Tônbi, 16 Febrri 2021

Ɖ  wn ivnt mor ǎtrejs ɖn a mob stormñ ɖ Cápitl wz ɖ specṭcl v 43 Rpublicn seṇtrz indorsñ ɖ atmtd cù n its insṭgetr. Bî rfyzñ t impīć Doṇld Trump, ɖe left ol uɖr dmocṛsiz agast, dlîtñ ōṭcrats evrẃr.

“Ɖs sad ćaptr in ǎr hisṭri hz rmîndd s ɖt dmocṛsi z frajîl,” sd Jo Bîdn. Frajîl indd, ẃn ɖ rstẃl līdrz v ɖ deṃcratic wrld rfyz t dfnd dmocṛsi’z frst prínsipl, ɖ trnziśn v pǎr bî luzr’z cnsnt. Ẃ boɖr lowrñ America’z fǎndeśn dokmnts nîtli intu a ńclir bomprūf śltr bnʈ ɖ Naśnl Arcîvz, ẃn ɖe r ript p bî Congres in brōd dêlît?

Ɖ riyl cù hapnd ẃn ɖ Rpublicn parti wz capćrd bî Trump, ʈrowñ moḍrets undr hiz ćarịtẃīlz. Ẃt sevd him fṛm impićmnt wz hiz yeld-ǎt wornñ t Rpublicnz at hiz “Sev America” rali: “F ɖe d’nt fît, w hv t prîṃri ɖ hel ǎt v [ɖm],” h sd. “W’r gwñ t let y nǒ hu ɖe r.” H tld hiz mob: “Y’r gwñ t start wrcñ on Congres n w got t gt rid v ɖ wìc congres-ppl, ɖ wnz ɖt r’nt eni gd, ɖ Liz Ćeniz v ɖ wrld. W got t gt rid v ɖm.”

Ɖ sevn Rpublicn seṇtrz hu derd t vot t impīć hv cm undr atac fṛm ɖer locl partiz, tū v ɖm anǎnsñ ɖe r standñ dǎn, n ɖ 10 Hǎs Rpublicnz hu std agnst him olrdi fes Trumpîts trayñ t unsīt ɖm. Doṇld Trump Jr. hz twītd: “Let’s impīć RINOz [Rpublicnz In Nem Onli] fṛm ɖ Rpublicn parti!!!”

Fir v dīṣlx́n z a dspicbl rīzn fr felñ t puniś a cù. Sm r jenyin Trump fnatics bt mni r jst sevñ ɖer jobz.

Wsminstr, lîc Wośñtn, sufrz wîdspred “dren ɖ swomp” votrsiṇsizm abt ilectd repriznttivz; on dorsteps y hír it ol ɖ tîm: “Ɖ’r ol ɖ sem, onli in it fr ɖmslvz.”

Rpublicnz r left t fît ǎt ɖer fyćr lîc rats trapt in a sác. Bt wns a parti z capćrd bî xtrimists, it’s hard t pl it bac t ilectbiḷti: Trump hz nvr wún ɖ popylr vot, h wz nirli 3m vots bhnd Hiḷri Clintn in 2016. In a tū-parti frst-past-ɖ-post ilectṛl sistm (FPĐP), capćrñ a parti z ɖ onli we t ćenj poḷtics: FPĐP’z ayn ilectṛl lw barz ny partiz imrjñ t riact t ny srcmstansz. Ɖ wòrn-ǎt dfns v FPĐP z ɖt it criets “stbiḷti”: ɖt’s nt hǎ ɖ YS fīlz, lrćñ fṛm Baṛc Obama t Trump t Bîdn, ɖ sistm dnayñ cọliśnz v compṛmîz. Bʈ cuntriz’ dmocṛsiz r feld bî ɖer arcêic votñsistmz.

In ɖ YC, loñ ago, ɖ Tori parti wz capćrd bî Brextrīmists, az fr yirz tîni locl partiz v mostli old ẃît men s’lectd onli Yrofobz. Cén Clārc n Mîcl Hesltîn wr prjd, alñ wɖ uɖr prominnt anti-Brexitrz. Eni “moḍrets” ɖt rmend cevd t Boris Jonsn’z stoncñ 80-sīt mjoṛti, wún partli bcz ǎr dyoṗli ofrd onli Jeṛmi Corbin az oltrṇtiv prîm̦inistr. Ɖo I n ɖ Gardịn bact Corbin az betr ɖn ɖ rog Jonsn, ɖ ćôs wz a deṃcratic ǎtrej. Aftr a craśñ dfit, Lebr trnd pragmatic, ćuzñ an ilectbl līdr, bt it z stl rivn btwn leftists hu jônd fr Corbin n ɖoz hu rjônd fr Cir Starmr, mcñ s’lex́nz fr locl ofis or MP a fmiłr tug v wor.

Ć parti’s frajîl cọliśn z destind t stradl a cuntri dvîdd acrs ńmṛs p’liticl fōltlînz. Jonsn’z ny red-wōl sīts dmand hî norɖn spendñ, opozd bî tṛdiśnl smōl-stet lo-taxrz v hiz suɖn śîrz n subrbz. Jonsn swivlz btwn rbełs anti-locdǎn libterịnz n mor cōśs red wōlrz n old focs: woć ɖ ōtm spendñ rvy fors dfînñ ćôsz. Lebr z struc dum on Brexit’s mni c’lamiṭs rzults, bcz its ŕbn, ynvrṣtitǎn, eʈnic mnoṛti n yuñ bes z irecnsîḷbl wɖ ɖoz norɖn Brexit sīts Lebr imajinz it cn rgen. Nvr hz ǎr ilectṛl sistm lct les ebl t rflect votrz’ vyz.

Starmr z suṃnñ a consttyśnl rvy, so far foc̣st on dīṿluśn n fedṛlizm, in ɖ ven hop v spîcñ ɖ Scotiś Naśnl parti (SNP). It nīdz t pt ilectṛl rform at ɖ fōrfrunt. A yir ago, Starmr sd: “W’v got t adres ɖ fact ɖt miłnz v ppl vot in sef sīts n ɖe fīl ɖer vot dz’nt cǎnt. Ɖt’s got t b adrest. W wl nvr gt fl ptiṣpeśn in ǎr ilectṛl sistm untl w d ɖt at evri levl.” Indd, siṇsizm z bréd fṛm ppl fīlñ ɖer vot w’nt afct an ilex́n’z ǎtcm.

Fy xpct Lebr t win ɖ nesṣri 124 sīts nxt tîm, plus bǎnḍrićenjz wl gift ɖ Tōriz 10 mor. An alayns z ɖ onli rùt, so forj a páct nǎ, az advcetd bî Cumṗs, wɖ Libṛl Deṃcrats, Grīnz n, yes, ɖ SNP, sìld bî a plej on ilectṛl rform. In 2019, mor ppl votd left v sntr ɖn Tori.

A pṛporśnl sistm wd alǎ bʈ mizṛbl old partiz t dvors. Instd v holdñ nozz t vot fr ɖ līst wrst, votrz on ɖ rît cd ćūz btwn pro-Yṛpiyn Mcmiḷnîts or ɖ Boris-Gov wrld v Brexit dīreğleśnfanṭsi. It’s hî tîm votrz on ɖ left wr rlist fṛm Lebr’z dsfuñśnl forst marij, fri t ćūz btwn an oʈntic soṣ́list parti n a sośl deṃcratic parti (ɖo ɖe wd stl hv t wrc tgɖr).

No ilectṛl sistm dvîzd bî ɖ crŭcid timbr v hymaṇti solvz ol probḷmz. Bt a fyćr v cọliśnz wd si ɖ pǎr v fax́nz wɖn a rūlñguvnmnt dfînd trnspaṛntli bî ilectṛl vots. It wd mīn no mor xtrim fax́nz amḅśñ s’lex́nprosesz wɖn partiz, v ɖ cnd ɖt caud Rpublicnz ovr impićmnt. Brecñ ɖ tū-parti stretjacit opnz p ɖ plŭṛlizm ɖt z wn v mni tsts in ɖ Icoṇmist Intelijns Ynit’s globl dmocṛsi indx. In 2020, it rports, onli 8.4% v ɖ wrld’z ppl livd undr a fŭli-fuñṣ́nñ dmocṛsi – frajîl indd.

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