Tag Archives: Proportional representation

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.

•

***

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

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , , ,
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

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , , , ,
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.

•

• Poli Tônbi z a Gardịn coḷmnist

•

***

•

MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

•

Instroduction to Ñspel

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

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , , , , ,
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.

•

• Poli Tônbi z a Gardịn coḷmnist

•

***

•

MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

•

Instroduction to Ñspel