Proportional Representation

I have set my self a huge task but I believe it is worthwhile because until we see what PR (or AV for that matter) will bring to the country then how can we vote on it? So far I have completed results for four areas of England and one thing is sure...unless we change our voting habits quickly the LibDems will permanently become the power broker under PR and probably under AV as well

If one counts up all the votes and then distributes them fairly between all parties neither Labour or Conservative will ever get a large enough majority to form a government. So far I have concentrated on the North of England where Labour has their hard core support but even there they cannot entirely break free of the opposition. I don't yet know what the South will prove but I still can't  see the Tories break away sufficiently to form a government.

One thing it does do is give the minority, radical parties a toehold in the corridors of power. So far in all four areas the BNP and UKIP always get one or two seats.

I am allocating each area an MP for every 50,000 voters. Once I have established how many seats are at stake then I allocate the seats according to the percentage of the vote that each party gets. For example if the Tories are the predominant party in a given area  and they are allocated 25 seats then the top 25 Tory candidates who have polled the most votes get the seats (they must have won the seat as well). Once those seats have allocated that constituency has an MP.

Labour then make their choice concentrating on the constituencies that still hav'nt got an MP. The Liberals are usually the third party but by the time they make their choice some of their better supported candidates have already lost their chance as some seats have already been allocated. Usually though a well supported Liberal will gain the seat. Then we get down to the BNP, UKIP and Independents and that is much more difficult because by that time many of the constituencies have already been taken. Still it does ensure that the minorities gain seats even if it is not always the better known candidates whio get them!