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Limited Democracy
Excerpt: I hear that there is not going to be a contest for the Party Presidency. I think it is a pity really. Elections are a good thing. I am surprised that Simon thinks he can do the job in view of his comments on Councillors who are also Party officers.
I hear that there is not going to be a contest for the Party Presidency. I think it is a pity really. Elections are a good thing. I am surprised that Simon thinks he can do the job in view of his comments on Councillors who are also Party officers.
Elsewhere, perhaps appropriately, but certainly sadly, we are about to elect a list of potential peers on a feudal franchise.
I agree with Jonathan Wallace on this. The limited franchise does no one any favours. Either let all members vote or leave it to the Leader, I say.
The quota last time around was 38.3 votes. Not a hell of a mandate.
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Well, it's a stronger mandate than for the Presidency, elected on a tide of apathy: "Simon Hughes - no votes (elected)."
And you're probably right that an all-member ballot would be an improvement for our Lords panel, though the whole country and hundreds of candidates won't encourage turnout - is there a sensible way to break them up geographically (with representation according to the general population, or in proportion to party membership?), or should they have to go through a proper candidate approval procedure first, as Jonathan suggests?
It seems a bit of a jump to say 'either one member, one vote or one member with his one vote, and nothing in between'. The party does have something of a history of endorsing a thing called representative democracy, surely, rather than insisting on plebiscites for every decision with a fall-back position of dictatorship ;-)
My Jacobin tendencies, Alex.
I like representative democracy but I believe that fewer than 20% of delegates are actually elected, and frankly they are hardly accountable for the way tey cast their vote.
I like your regional constituencies idea. It did occur to me that it could be run in tandem with Euro selection. But I would prefer to run itin tandem with the Presidential election.
Are you running? I would vote for you if I were not disenfranchised
Peter