On Friday July 4, one year on from the last general election, Totnes Make Votes Matter (MVM) group were joined by the Mayor, Tim Bennett, at the Guildhall to mark the first anniversary of the most disproportionate general election in UK history.
At that election the party that got a huge majority in Parliament and, therefore, 100 per cent of the power had the support of just 34 per cent of those who voted.
Voicing his support for MVM and and its campaign for PR (proportional representation) Tim Bennett said:
“In my opinion, proportional representation delivers fairer outcomes by ensuring that the number of seats a party wins reflects the number of votes it receives. Unlike first-past-the-post, it reduces wasted votes and encourages wider participation by giving smaller parties and independent candidates a fair chance. This leads to more representative governments, greater accountability, and more constructive cross-party cooperation.”
Ed: Local campaign group, Common Ground Organisation, joined Make Votes Matter to run a ‘democracy meter’, polling opinion on electoral reform in an informal way that leads to interesting conversations and an opportunity to inform the public.
The event took place as part of a nationwide Democracy Action Weekend, in which campaigners in many towns and cities will participate in rallies, meetings and leafleting sessions in support of electoral reform.
Laurie Taylor, of MVM Totnes, argues that, with trust in politics at catastrophic lows, our democracy can no longer survive our existing First Past The Post (FPTP) voting system. He says:
“With millions of voters turning away from two-party politics, there is every chance that in 2029 we could wake up to a government elected on less than 30 per cent of the public vote. We cannot afford to let this continue. The need for electoral reform is more urgent than ever.”
Barbara Smith, co-founder of Totnes group says:
“I am very concerned about our democracy. In all countries with PR everyone’s vote counts as the number of MPs in their Parliaments is equal to the proportion of votes which each party receives. And with cross-party collaborative politics rather than the adversarial shouting and jeering that we have in the Commons we will tend towards more stable and longer term policy making, less income inequality, more women in parliament, better care for the environment…and more.”
Campaigners argue that FPTP distorts public opinion, leaving millions of voters unrepresented. The demand for voting system reform is backed by more than 150 Parliamentarians, who have joined the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Elections, making it the biggest active APPG in Westminster. It’s time for a politics reflective of the people, in which all votes are counted and all voices are heard.
Our MP, Caroline Voaden, was unable to join us at the Guildhall.
She supports us wholeheartedly, and says:
“Last year’s election results, while hugely successful for the Liberal Democrats, show how disproportionate our voting system is. We believe that every vote should count equally, and the only way to do this is to have a proportional system. This is particularly important as we transition away from the traditional two-party system toward four- or five-party politics.
“To have a government with a huge majority elected on just 34 per cent of the national vote doesn’t serve anyone. While a PR system would likely produce coalition governments, I believe it would also lead to more constructive and collaborative political conversations, which, even if they are difficult, will ultimately result in better, more representative policy making.”
Totnes MVM are a welcoming group who organise regular meetings and campaign activities in and around Totnes. We can also supply a speaker for your group or organisation. If you are interested in joining us, email: mvmtotnesandsouthdevon@gmail.com
