Should I stay or should I go now? - The EU Referendum Thread

[Psychosplodge]

Is it bad that Denis the election koala sounds like mick dundee in my head?

[CoffeeGrunt]

True, but that doesn't mean discussing the advantages and disadvantages isn't a positive:
[URL="http://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/es/esd/esd01/esd01a/esd01a01"]http://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/es/esd/esd01/esd01a/esd01a01[/URL]

For one, it helps stop the, "put a red rosette on a plank and people would vote for it," problem. I dunno how many people I've heard say they'd vote Green if it weren't a wasted vote. The fact we consider it a wasted vote but guilt people who don't vote by telling them about all the people who died to get them that vote is hilarious.

[Psychosplodge]

Surely those people died for your right to not vote as well?

next time slap them with something electrical, because if the greens win that's all it'd be good for.

[Kirsten]

proportional representation is the only way to go

[Mr Mystery]

Yup.

Then you end up with an actual representation of politics in the UK - and that helps to avoid and mitigate 'Us or Them' politics.

Small Party X gained a surprising number of votes? Biggest parties might want to look into what they're offering, and why it appeals. So yes, it can produce hung parliaments more often, but it also serves as 'market research' as to what the UK really wants addressing, and how.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Ian Hislop on why, "STFU you lost," isn't conducive to democracy:
[URL="https://twitter.com/bbcquestiontime/status/751182540925341697"]https://twitter.com/bbcquestiontime/status/751182540925341697[/URL]

[CoffeeGrunt]

[URL="http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/shop_owner_describes_arson_attack_at_eastern_europ ean_store_in_magdalen_street_norwich_1_4608759"]Really hoping this doesn't become a trend...[/URL]

It's worryingly near where I'm at, though the motive is still unknown.

[odinsgrandson]

Yup.

Then you end up with an actual representation of politics in the UK - and that helps to avoid and mitigate 'Us or Them' politics.

Small Party X gained a surprising number of votes? Biggest parties might want to look into what they're offering, and why it appeals. So yes, it can produce hung parliaments more often, but it also serves as 'market research' as to what the UK really wants addressing, and how.

Huh? That's the argument for 3rd parties when we're dealing with a two party system (they host "issues candidates" and have an agenda setting role- even though they really don't ever win). That's what the US Green party is all about (although they've never been the most successful of 3rd parties).

Now, to be fair, proportional representation has its disadvantages. Generally, what happens is small parties will only take on one issue- then they become the swing vote in the legislature that decides the outcomes in the battles between larger parties. This is worse because of their having not taken sides on almost any of the issues before, so they tend to decide a lot of things that their constituents did not vote for.

I've also seen the proportional representation system abused horribly (in Brazil). There, politicians sometimes choose a smaller party because it is easier for them to be elected through it, then switch parties once they're in office. That's far from the only thing wrong with the Brazilian government, though.

[Mr Mystery]

In the UK, if you switch parties, there's a by-election.

Proportional Representation isn't without it flaws - but I still think it's a better and fairer system than First Past The Post.

[Psychosplodge]

I don't think there has to be or did they change it when they did the fixed term parliament thing?