Two adverts telling Nick Clegg not to 'sell out' on getting a proportional system appeared in national newspapers today.
Two adverts telling Nick Clegg not to ‘sell out’ on getting a proportional system appeared in national newspapers today. Supported by 38 Degrees, Vote for a Change and Take Back Parliament, the adverts’ message is very simple: Fair Votes Now. But what makes them so much harder for politicians to ignore is the huge swell of public support which lies behind them.
Thousands of people have been in touch with senior Liberal Democrats over the last four days telling them not to give up on getting a proportional system. Several hundred took part in demonstrations over the weekend with the same demand.
Perhaps most remarkably, today’s adverts were paid for by thousands of small donations from 38 Degrees members, who raised enough money to pay for the ads – including a full page advert in the Times – in just a few hours yesterday evening; so far, nearly £20,000 has been donated – see a running total of donations here.
As talks intensify between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, 38 Degrees members will keep up the pressure on the Liberal Democrat leader not to forget his commitment to a fairer voting system. With a huge and growing people-powered movement calling for change, his chances of delivering real reform have never been better.
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12 Responses to “Pressure mounts on Clegg not to “sell out” over electoral reform”
Modicum
@Daniel Harley:
“In Germany one party has been in coalition since they adopted the system. Don’t you like the idea of throwing the party you dislike out?”
Please get your facts straight before spreading misinformation about PR. The last four coalition governments in Germany have been:
Christian Democrats + FDP (2009-present)
Christian Democrats + Social Democrats (2005-2009)
Social Democrats + Greens (1998-2005)
Christian Democrats + FDP (1980 – 1998)
In contrast in the UK there has only been one change of government in the last thirty years. Despite the fact that in every single election in the last three decades a majority of electors have voted against the incumbent party. So in what way is “FPTP” better at throwing out unpopular governments?
Daniel Harley
Sorry @Modicum! However you can’t exactly call that a shift in government can you? Also attacking a minor flaw in my argument hardly debunks my comment.
Look at how ultra marginal all the German political parties are! They have to stand for nothing to get elected. Is this the kind of system we want, purely so that we can say percentage of votes = percentage of seats?
And why should those smaller parties be the ones who decide on policy and who forms the government. What is fair about that pleaes?