AV My vote will make a difference

Went up to North Norfolk for a bit of R&R.  The sea is still salt. 

AV, the Alternative Vote, comes up in May.  Must make a note in the diary.

Voting is a duty.  Have voted in twelve General Elections.  Ten votes were of no value.  The winning candidates were always going to win by a large majority or a landslide.  This probably explains why so many no longer bother to vote.

But voted tactically, on two occasions, in order to defeat an undesirable candidate.  Millions of skilful, diligent and thoughtful voters have probably done the same.  And, yes, millions are skilful, diligent and thoughtful.

Those who support the current FPTP 'first past the post' system, argue that only FPTP produces a clear winner.  However expert analysts say that none of the last twelve elections would have produced a different, or a substantially weaker or stronger, winner under AV.

No mainstream politician dares mention the real argument for AV.

Millions of us will use our AV votes tactically.  We will use our first, and even second, preference votes to send loud and clear messages on key issues to the main political parties.  Perhaps these are the messages they wish to avoid.

AV will not change the results of General Elections, but it will provide compelling indicators on issues such as Constitutional Reform, Europe, Climate Change, etc.  Single issue candidates and groups of candidates will proliferate.   

Remember the AV election that chose Ed Milliband.  Remember all the information it gave us about Ed, David, Ed, Andy, Diane, the Labour party and the unions.

AV has the potential to re-energise political debate and to bring dormant voters back to the polling stations.  Even if AV is unlikely to change the end result in a single constituency, it will have a large, beneficial and democratic impact nationwide.

In the referendum in May, we here will vote for AV.

Paws4Now

Jock