It makes sense for a country that puts so much emphasis on the leaders of the three largest parties that they have three nationally televised debates to have an electoral system to match. I can't vote for Cameron, Clegg or Brown. I can only vote for my local MP, or the candidates running against her. If these and other leaders are asking for my vote I should be able to give it to them.
When I look at the candidates' leaflets and the blurb on their sites, they speak of local communities, local crime rates, local A&E departments, local transport. When I watch the debates on TV, they argue about immigration, nuclear weapons, the Pope coming to visit - in short national issues. Both these sets of issues are important, but I only have one vote with which to express my wishes. If the local candidates contradict with what the leader has said, what do I do? Indeed, where I live in London, neighbouring local MPs from the same party disagree on key issues, from Iraq to nuclear power.
I should be able to vote for a government and there manifesto and a local representative.
In 2005 the Lib Dems won 9.6% of the seats in the House of Commons, despite having 22.1% of the popular vote.
Labour had only 35.3% vote but secured 55.2% of the seats.
The Tories won 30.7% of the seats with 32.3 % of the votes.
The Tories had over three times as many seats as the Lib Dems, depite only having 10% more of the vote share.
Unsurprisingly, the Lib Dems are for reform of the electoral system. The Tories are against.
I am keen for my vote to count, regardless of whether I live in a safe or a marginal constituency. And I want the party with the most votes to lead the country. Under the current system it is mathematically possible for a winning party to come a comfortable second in the popular vote.
I am still not sure who I will vote for. The Lib Dems having been pushing for proportional representation for years, so they are a contender because of that alone. Labour have recently been calling for a possible reform that goes some of the way, but that may be criticised as the actions of desperate outgoing government. But that they are willing to do it is still a plus. The minor parties that have a decent level of voters have little or no representation because their supporters don't happen to live in the same area, so they are likely to be reform.
But the Tories are against it. The Tories are happy for my vote against a 'safe' MP to go unnoticed.
Therefore I am not voting Tory.
