Monday 9 May 2011

Electoral Reform - What Next? Gradual Roll-out - Brighton and Hove First... ?

While most areas of the UK clearly chose to retain FPTP, there were areas where AV was identified as the preferred system.

It occurred to me that there is no reason for all MPs to be selected in the same way - each constituency has a 'right' to send an MP to parliament, and there seems no reason that the constituency itself should not choose their own method to select their MP. This idea seems to have some support, and would tie in well with my view (and UKIP's view) on local and direct democracy...

Here in Brighton the referendum result was very finely balanced 50.1% for FPTP 49.9% for AV with only 250 votes difference!

So...

I am thinking that as Brighton is a distinct area with a city council and three MPs it would be an ideal location to look to a new politics.

If the people of Brighton, Hove, Portslade and the Deans come together we can move towards implementing direct democracy ourselves without the need for official sanction (at least not at first).

Local council petitions give the right to address full council - if a local organisation with several thousand members could get petitions completed on demand, the organisation would have direct access to the council without the need for any party political affiliation (so allowing people across the political spectrum work together where we agree).

Also calling on our three MPs to work *together* for the benefit of the city - if each MP is called on by a few thousand of their constituents to a joint meeting, they would find it hard to refuse.

The Yes2AV campaign has brought many people across the city together - this could be the basis of revolutionising UK politics, bit by bit - starting with the City of Brighton and Hove.

Such an organisation has to be led democratically - not run by any unaccountable external organisations.

Brighton Residents Association?
Take Back Brighton?
Brighton First?

We can do this - but like the AV campaign it needs party politics to be put to one side...

First issue would be to look towards changing the voting system in Brighton and Hove - both for the Council and for our three MPs...

**EDIT**
Some people have suggested it is impossible to have a house of MPs elected in different ways. People suggesting that should consider that had AV won, then at some point by-elections would have been held under AV while sitting MPs would still have been elected under FPTP. No one suggested that this would be a problem... not even the no to AV campaign!

1 comment:

  1. Hi, I'm from up in Scotland and I very much like your idea. I think the coming few years will see nationalism used more and more as a cheap trick by politicians for short term gain. Instead I want to learn from the diversity of our nations.

    Even though the campaign is over the group in Edinburgh is still here and I have shared your suggestion with them.

    Thanks,

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