This is an interesting section on p8 of the Electoral Commission leaflet that arrived yesterday:
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If more people vote ‘yes’ than ‘no’, when will we start using the ‘alternative vote’ system?
The ‘alternative vote’ system will be used after a review of the boundaries of the area that each MP represents (known as their constituency) is completed. This is due to happen between 2011 and 2013. The review will happen regardless of the outcome of this referendum.
At the end of the review, the UK Parliament will vote on implementing the new boundaries. If the new boundaries are implemented, the ‘alternative vote’ system will be used for all future elections to the House of Commons.
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The underlining is mine ... it seems that an electors' vote in favour of AV can be ignored if the House of Commons decides they do not want to change the rules for setting constituency boundaries ... and from my limited understanding they might well not. I have yet to find an explanation for this linkage, though political manoeuvring comes to my skeptical mind. O, what a blunt instrument is democracy.
and here's the proof of the stitchup that means a big Yes for AV can be ignored by MPs if they vote down the boundary changes - btw I'm still undecided on the AV question, and after the awful TV ads from the Yes and No campaigns I'm searching for some authoritative info on the whole issue.
ReplyDeleteDear Nic Vine
Thank you for your email to the Electoral Commission.
The review of boundaries and the referendum are linked as they were in the same Bill. If there is a yes vote in the referendum then the legislation provides for AV to be introduced. However, under the same legislation, this cannot happen until Parliament has approved the Boundary Commission's recommendations to alter parliamentary boundaries. Because the two issues are in the same Bill, AV would not be introduced until new boundaries had been approved. Therefore you are correct in thinking that if the new boundaries are not approved, the AV system of voting would not be introduced.
Please let me know if you require any further information.
Kind regards
Leigh Gravenor
Public Information Officer
The Electoral Commission
3 Bunhill Row
London EC1Y 8YZ
Tel: 020 7271 0707
Fax: 020 7271 0505
www.electoralcommission.org.uk
www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
Hi Nic,
ReplyDeleteThanks for open up the profiles, so I can now comment.
All we need now is for politicians to open up their narrow, weaselly little minds so that people can have a fair say.