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Why we need PR
Liam Byrne and Bill Rammell argue for a re-election strategy so breathtakingly cynical in its naked pursuit of power for its own sake that it even makes Cameron's own pursuit of it look vaguely principled.
In today's Guardian Liam Byrne and Bill Ramell argue that "Blair's exit must not be used to lure Labour from targeting ambitious voters in the super-marginals". What a piece of self-serving, cynical tosh. It is to the credit of the many respondents to this appaling article, which highlights exactly what is so corrupt about our electoral system, that they see right through this hubristic attempt to remain in power at any cost.
And one respondent, mboy, puts it:
Labour had the chance to change an electoral system that isn't used in any other western places except the politically bankrupt USA. They could have done this, and then they wouldn't have had to worry about the Tories outspending them in super-marginals. But yet again - as with so many things - the NuLab apostles decided FPTP was working very well indeed, and nothing needed to change. PR would have consigned the old Tory party to the dustbin of history. Never forget that it was the Labour party that rescued them.
Indeed. The chance to give everyone a say in how we are governed, a chance for a realignment of political parties, and a chance to make every vote count equally - all promised by New Labour in 1997. And never delivered, like so much else Blair offered.
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Whoa there Labour bashers! Don't forget, we've not done too badly ourselves out of exploiting tactical voting at by-elections and in our own 'key marginals' which would not normally return a Liberal but for the desire of other voters to have 'anyone but a Labour/Conservative MP'.
I have delivered many a leaflet which stresses to Labour supporters that their only chance to avoid a Tory MP is to vote Lib Dem! I know that this is not a desirable state of affairs, and I personally believe that we ought to change our electoral system to some form of PR, but it's not a universal panecea. For example, electing via party list would probably make MPs even less responsive and representative of their constituents.
Jim - surely the obvious point is that Labour (including Messrs Byrne and Ramell) have been in a position to change the electoral system whereas the Lib Dems have not (but are committed to doing so)?
I don't think Tabman was criticising anyone for trying to win within the system which exists. What he was saying was that the Labour MPs' piece illustrates a major flaw in the current system which Labour had pledged to rectify, could have rectified, but didn't rectify.
I think Tabman was trying to do both. There is explicit criticism of a stategy 'breath takingly cynical in it's naked pursuit of power' i.e. targeting marginals which is clearly aimed at people trying to win within the existing system. But I also accept that he raises the valid point that Labour has done nothing to alter this situation.