First Past the Post or AV

[James Barber]

The AV count starts at 3pm today. It felt really positive for a YES result in ED yesterday but the news channels are suggesting a very clear NO result.

[james84]

!!!

[binary_star]

james84 Wrote:

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> Congratulations to the "NO" for AV camp, looks

> like it will be a crushing victory..... with the

> MAJORITY of support.

I don't mind so much, "No" was my second preference.

[maxxi]

Some night. Some bump.

[misscarmelite]

Wow james ! how are you posting from the row boat ! Funny I was in ED yesterday and I could sense an almighty NO

Those pesky news channels huh ? maybe under AV they would fall under your control and you could then mop up any dissenters.

Anyway hope you are looked after in ED as your as 'rare as hens teeth' after the local election results !!

[Loz]

James Barber Wrote:

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> The AV count starts at 3pm today. It felt really

> positive for a YES result in ED yesterday but the

> news channels are suggesting a very clear NO

> result.

That's because Southwark returned a Yes. The rest of the country, however...

[Brendan]

If people insist on being ignorant idiots who reject things that will be demonstrably better for them all, well then they deserve what they get. I?m done caring about their rights, and welfare.

[James Barber]

Southwark residents voted 53% for YES. At the box count it looked like 79-80% of East Dulwich voters voted YES.

I'd like to say a big thank you to every resident of East Dulwich who voted but especially those who voted YES.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped deliver the 4 YES leaflets and 2 YES letters during the last 6 weeks and those that came out yesterday to Get Out The Vote. Fantastic team work.

[Townleygreen]

Pity about the rest of the effing country, James!?

[Marmora Man]

YES - the right result

[ianr]

> Southwark residents voted 53% for YES.

Camden, Haringey, Hackney, Islington, and Lambeth being the only other London boroughs with more than 50% for Yes. http://ukreferendumresults.aboutmyvote.co.uk/en/all-local-voting-areas-by-region.aspx?id=LO

[Loz]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> YES - the right result

I know. A big shame it didn't happen!

[Bic Basher]

In Lewisham it was very close.

49.35% Yes

50.65% No

[Burbage]

An interesting result.

Looking at the map at the Guardian, it seems as if AV won only in the London boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Camden, Islington, Hackney and Haringey - and in the cities of Oxford and Cambridge.

I wouldn't dare suggest the correlation that springs to my mind, or whether it seems borne out by this debate.

But I don't feel as bad as I might have done.

[Marmora Man]

Loz Wrote:

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> Marmora Man Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > YES - the right result

>

> I know. A big shame it didn't happen!

You spottedvmy irony!

[thomastillingthe3rd]

The first past the post system had delivered a yes for southwark by approx 3000+ votes

Interesting that the turnout was only 17% of the turnout for the local 2010 elections. I thought the problem with FTP in the first place was that the minority get to feel like the majority? Well I suppose politics is all about smoke and mirrors eh kids.

[Huguenot]

Eh?

The whole point about the referendum is that it was yes or no. You can't have AV when there's only two choices. Actually, you can't have FPTP in a yes/no question either. It's a simple majority vote. A majority of voters.

One of the gripes about FPTP is that it enforces two party states, hardly electoral choice.

I'm getting truly bored with people posting rubbish on this subject and thinking they're clever.

[thomastillingthe3rd]

Yes your right. but only 17% of voters turned out, imagine how many mugs there would in the 'NO' camp had they all come out !

[ianr]

> You can't have AV when there's only two choices.

Of course you can; it's a universal algorithm. Round 1:More than 50% of votes for any one candidate -> yes -> selected.

[Huguenot]

You know what I mean.

[James Barber]

East Dulwich Councillors out on election day. Great reception after a thorough campaign locally.

http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/files/2011/05/IMG00142-20110505-1651-150x150.jpg

Shame it didn?t work out nationally.....

[Santerme]

Well lets hope that kills the issue for another generation

[Koko07]

.........

[James Barber]

I'm not quite so despondent.

An elected House of Lords via PR is not on the cards under the constitutional reforms agreed in the coalition agreement. So I think changing how we elect MP's won't change for some time but probably sooner than a lifetime!

[thomastillingthe3rd]

It is ironic indeed that Nick Clegg will share a platform this week with David Cameron on unemployment. I fear Nick Clegg is completely blind to the fact that he is the reason why 700+ of his own party now find themselves politically unemployed. AV may well have a lovely Tuscan ring about it but the Britsh people have, for now, decisively spoken and that has to be acknowledged. My fear now is that despite Nick Cleggs past statements about 'Gordon Brown being deaf to his own unpopularity' that Mr Clegg has fallen into the same trap , not able to accept that he has become 'utterly toxic'. If the wider party does not move and move quick, then the damage to the party will get worse. To make the statement as he did yesterday that "we will listen but we have a job to do" , is deluded to say the least. The country delivered a verdict yesterday on AV and to the direction that Nick Clegg has taken the Liberal Party.

Today he steps out and issues a rallying for the NHS, the problem is it was only a few months ago that he signed the NHS white paper for changes to the NHS and persuaded his MP's to support reforms in a commons vote. Instead of presenting the the party as a party who can govern and are electable, Nick Clegg has presented you as a anything other than a party with decisive conviction and clear direction.That is exactly what the british people, rightly or wrongly, voted for in the AV vote, a way of voting decisively and with clear conviction. Like it or not listen or prepare for further political unemployment.