Britannist

In a letter to the Daily Telegraph of 10.5.2008 Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski called for an end of the use of proportional (PR) voting in EU Elections in the UK and in elections to the London Assembly.

If his proposal were implemented it would make it very difficult for parties other than the Labour, Conservative and Liberal 'Democrats' to win seats in the rival 'Parliament' in Brussels or on the London Assembly.

UKIP won two seats on the London Assembly in 2004 (which the party no longer holds) as well as 12 seats in the last EU 'Election'. The Green Party has two seats in Brussels and two on the London Assembly.

Mr. Kawczynski wrote “I have written to David Cameron stating that I would like to see the Conservative Party commit itself to abolishing PR for both the Greater London Authority and European Elections.” He added “When I speak to my constituents, I find that not one in 100 can tell who Nina Gill is. In fact she is the “local” Labour MEP.” Mr. Kawczynski said that the lack of knowledge over who she was not just because of “political disengagement” but because “the familiar link between community and representative has been broken.”

He also pointed out that if a member of the London Assembly elected from the London-wide proportional list stands down then s/he would be replaced by another off the list of candidates from the same political party with no By-Election – but that if a constituency member quits then a By-Election in the constituency of the member leaving would have to be held.

“First-past-the-post voting” is a system which “increases voter engagement and restores accountability” Mr. Kawczynski stated.

Raymond Finch

He really is a little gobsh*te.
This is a good thing though. It means the Tories are genuinely frightened of us.

Britannist

Wasn't our Government ordered by the EU to switch from First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) voting in EU Elections to proportional voting? I am under the impression that whatever the europhile Blair Labour Government said at the time the EU was behind the change.

It may now be against EU rules to use FPTP in an EU Election.

steve fowler

This Tory MP is from the sounds of it a political careerist! and fears other smaller parties gaining votes from him?.

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RULE BRITANNIA BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES, BRITONS NEVER EVER SHALL BE SLAVE'S.

Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill.

When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Enoch Powell told his wife that the electorate had voted to break up the United Kingdom.

22ANDUK

Oh dear!

It must be a genuine fear that the Tories may lose out to smaller parties!

It's obviously not due to the old claim the Tories suffer and can never govern under PR because London has disproved that, showing a Tory-led Assembly (ok, not an outright majority, but no other party could and even under FPTP Tories results would be similar) and also have Boris Johnson as Mayor.

kernow

Come the Revolution he's the first name down for my firing squad! Or at least a good kicking!

steve fowler

I just hope the revolution comes in time for us of all?.

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RULE BRITANNIA BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES, BRITONS NEVER EVER SHALL BE SLAVE'S.

Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill.

When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Enoch Powell told his wife that the electorate had voted to break up the United Kingdom.

Independence Now!

Indeed it is a fear they will lose votes to the smaller parties but then when did the Conservative Party have any affection for democracy? It is still well within living memory to recall that they used to choose their leaders from a 'magic circle' and not have him/her elected!

Independence Now!

That may well be the case. I sincerely hope so. It would be the first case of the EU doing any good for Britain! It would be a massive laugh if Gordon Brown suddenly announced he was going to change the electoral system for Westminster from the archaic FPTP to the alternative vote or a form of PR. Its time that everybody's vote in Britain counted and not just those who live in 150 odd marginal seats!

Britannist

Brown wouldn't bring in a proper fully proportional (PR) voting system for UK General Elections.

The europhiles are scared that UKIP would win big under PR voting - the 12 gains UKIP made in the last national PR election in the UK (the EU Election of June 2004) frightened the europhile political establishment in the UK.

When PR was brought in for national elections in France the moment small parties started winning seats in Parliament under it French (Socialist europhile) The Late President Mitterrand changed the voting system back to one very similar to First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) used in our General Elections.

The Liberal 'Democrats' claim to be in favour of PR but the reality is that the UKIP gains in the 2004 EU Election under PR voting shook that party - more so as UKIP pushed them into fourth place in votes received.

That's why the europhile Liberal 'Democrats' have gone very quiet about PR since 2004.