this important referendum is nearly upon us and i thought it would be interesting explore the views held by this BB

after much thought, i have decided to vote against AV
i do not dispute that "first past post the post" is in some ways unfair - so is life and golf! - but i am far from convinced that AV is intrinsically much better

i would rather have a stronger gov't of some hue than a weak coalition or mps (and parties) who have felt obliged to trim their sails to offend the least number and thus gain a few more secondary votes

full-blown PR is at least "fair", but even then, there are many examples of horribly weak and unstable gov'ts, which is also pretty disastrous

finally, and of greatest concern, i suspect the turnout for this referendum will be +/-35% at best and probably a lot lower in many parts of the country
it follows that those who vote in this will be (relative) "activists" for lack of a better word, for the run-of-the-mill voter will find the whole thing too complicated and voting on it all, too much of a fag
thus, if there is a change in our voting system, then it is very likely to have been pushed through by <20% of the electorate - is that fair?

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/AV-No-Campaign-ComRes-Poll-Shows-Increased-32-Point-Lead-Over-No-Campaign/Article/201105115984911?lpos=Politics_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15984911_AV%3A_No_Campaign_ComRes_Poll_Shows_Increased_32-Point_Lead_Over_No_Campaign

if the yes is winning it will be due to a low turn out and people not really realising the consequences - amazing!

vote NO! if you are bothering to vote!

No is winning by 2 to 1.

coe. the only party that would benefit from a yes vote .
and that is a BIG NO FOR ME they aremuppets and liars

ahh - common sense still alive then - cheers

labour and there failed education system multiple revamps, teachers teaching subjects they have no qualifications in & cut price teachers assistants was not able to completely destroy that too then!! phew - some hope remains for uk plc then!

coeliac - to pursue your argument .... would you regard it as democratic if 20% of the electorate proved able to change the current system? ..... my opinion is that that is akin to 20% of a trades union being able to impose strike action on their whole membership

I thought that's what happened anyway.

I see Eddie Izzard is campaigning for YES and getting lots of air time on BBC and SKY. What is this obsession with the opinions of celebrities on every subject. You might as well ask Ken Dodd what he thinks.

Ken Dodd, diddy vote?!

ahhhhhhhh a comedian - lol

The sad fact is that for all those who apply some intelligent thinking - and most of you qualify :-) before deciding we will be in the minority, outweighed by those who don't vote at all and those who vote without any real prior consideration.
FWIW I really can't decide which way to vote. AV does seem somewhat fairer but likely to make worse compromise government where policies and decisions are made for political reasons.

so long as you vote i don't mind especially which camp you decide upon, though i'ld infinitely prefer it were NO

Vote for AV and you get those awful bearded sandal-wearing unworldly supercilious sanctimonious Liberals selling themselves to the highest bidder - will almost certainly be those Labour turds in future.

What is so wrong with the person who gets the most votes winning? even if it is on a low percentage poll, which is the fault of apathetic people not the system If I was totally convinced that the person/party I was going to vote for hadn't a chance of winning then I'd vote tactically for the next best imo which would be sort of voting 1,2. Tomorrow I'll be voting 123 for council elections 123 for assembly elections and Y/N for AV I've a mound of leaflets and I still can't work out who's standing for what No doubt all will be revealed on the ballot papers.

Hi cynic

It is surely democratic for people to chose to vote or not, as well as chosing one way or another in the ballot box. I doubt many MPs or local councillors achieve over 50% of the electorate but I don't hear much noise about the non voters having chosen someone to represent them by default.

Only way Libs will ever get a taste of power again is if a YES vote wins. A NO vote will make it a straight fight Con v Lab in the future imo.

Libs will disappear after this referundum and will have no one else to blame but themselves after blowing their biggest chance of offering a real alternative they will ever get.

Speed they ditched their policies on education , defence , taxes etc will be second only to the speed that one by one they start opting out of the coalition to try to keep their seats once they lose this.

Cleggs days are numbered.

All imo but you heard it here first :-)




And I'm voting NO.

Libs appear (without a result being announced yet) as predicted are getting stuffed in Wales.

Cardiff Central at general election was Libs 51% , Lab 21% , Cons 14% , Others 14% and now the Libs are saying its too close to call in yesterdays Welsh Assembley election ... says it all.

Dil,

Did your vote count?

mine did! ... i voted NO and won .... fred and his gang have been given a good towelling by those who bothered to vote, but it will be interesting to watch how well the coalition now hangs together - or not as the case may be

Cynic,

Cast your mind back to how long it took for the serfs to get their vote or women's suffrage took.

Within 15years there will be a PR system for election of government.

But I am interested to see the outcome of Clegg and the Libs and how long this coalition takes to unravel.

But who in their right mind would shake hands with Cameron.