Election Forum - New era or the same old story?

Published: 29 April, 2010

by TARIQ ALI
• I won’t be voting – as a protest at how things have become. I may go out and spoil my ballot paper, but I’ll see how I feel in the morning.
Whether the political system changes forever at this election may depend on how many people turn out to vote. If you have a low turnout and the representation is skewered, we could see some demand for change of the voting system.
If the party with the least number of votes gets the most seats all hell could break loose.
I doubt very much whether a “progressive coalition” would form afterwards as all the parties seem to believe the same things as each other.
It would be hard to see any sort of “progressive coalition” forming, as none of  the parties could really be described as “progressive”.
All three of the leaders could be from the same party.
There may possible be more coalitions at local authority level, given that they’re all facing the same problems and they mostly seem to have the same policies.
• Tariq Ali is a writer and political commentator who lives in Highgate

by PHILIPPE SANDS
• If you’ve been past our house we have Labour and Lib Dem posters in the windows. My wife is a lifelong Labour supporter. I am supporting Ed Fordham. It’s anyone but the Tories. 
I think in Hampstead and Kilburn it’s Lib Dem and the Tories fighting it out and I think people should vote tactically.
People want change. We have slipped into a presidential system with no accountability. This is a big moment. I am obviously on the Left but the idea of a Lib Dem-Tory alliance makes me very queasy.
But what if Labour come third? There is an issue of democracy. If Labour under Gordon Brown come third, can the public stomach it?
The only option then is for Brown to immediately step down and for Labour to choose a new leader immediately.
There has to be a hung Parliament. I am positively in favour of it because it will bring a form of representative Parliament.
I don’t buy the argument that it will lead to an economic or financial catastrophe or difficulties.
I think we need to find a more consensual form of politics where people to come together, maybe from all of the parties.
• Philippe Sands, QC, is a barrister and professor of international law at University College London. He lives in Hampstead with his wife and three children

by FIONA MILLAR
• According to the polls, a hung parliament is a possibility. The process is much more difficult than people think.
We may have to have a referendum on how the system of governance would work if it
is a hung parliament.
Even looking at the polls, it does not say how the result will pan out.
I think we will also see some unexpected results in some seats.
In terms of the council elections, one of the problems is there has been no interest in what is happening locally.
It is hard to read it.
People are very much preoccupied with what is happening in the General Election, not the council one.
The uncertainty about what happens nationally could certainly affect local elections.
It is possible we will see a change in the two-party system, but it is very difficult to predict.
The process is much more difficult than people think.
One party could promise something to the Liberal Democrats.
But when it comes to hammering out the detail of it, things are likely to get more complicated.
• Fiona Millar is a campaigning journalist from Gospel Oak. She is a member of Campaign for State Education

by JOHN MILLS
• I doubt we’ll see the Lib Dems in government. In a hung parliament they might have proportional representation as a condition of their support and both main parties would probably reject this on the grounds that it would be hugely damaging to both of them.
So I’m not sure there’s going to be a radical change to the system at this election, unless the Lib Dems are the largest party, which I very much doubt will happen.
There’s probably more of an overlap between the Lib Dems and Labour rather than with the Lib Dems and the Tories, but at lot will depend on the negotiations between the parties if we have a hung parliament.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the negotiations are very difficult, and as a result we have a minority government, and then another election after a few weeks, which could have a more decisive outcome.
We may see more coalitions locally, especially as it’s very difficult to know what will happen. 
A significant factor will be what’s happening nationally – particularly as Camden’s such a politicised area.
• John Mills, who owns John Mills  Limited in Kentish Town, one of Camden’s most successful businesses.
He is a former councillor and treasurer at the Town Hall