Apparently, Brown wants to
change the electoral system to introduce the Alternate Vote systems for Westminster elections. This is supposedly part of his plan to regain the political initiative.
Well:
- Most ordinary people could not care less about this and the debate will be seen in most of the country as the Westminster village talking to itself. This at a time when people are very concerned about their jobs and homes.
- This is very easy to attack as Labour trying to fix the electoral systems because they are scared of losing the next election. In fact, the Conservatives are already reported as taking this line.
- Such a measure could only be introduced after a referendum, and the chance of Gordon Brown winning a referendum on anything at the moment is just about zero.
If Labour think a debate on this subject will help them then they are deluded. The country is crying out for real measures to address real problems, not least people getting tossed out of their jobs and homes. Electoral reform is not the problem, and even if it was what has Labour been doing for the last 12 years? Up until now the Labour government has devoted more time to fox-hunting than the constitution.
