Yes or No dilemma

Published: 7 April, 2011

• COME May 5 we have been asked to vote Yes or No on electoral change, well actually I shall be doing neither.

Instead I will be taking the third option and spoiling my vote in protest at this pointless and cynical exercise.

To tick No and continue with a system that forms an elected government from less than 40 per cent of the total vote is not an option I can agree with but, then, to tick Yes and accept what is nothing more than a cynical attempt to gerrymander the vote thus allowing the victors to claim over half the count and a mandate to rule unopposed is even worse in my view.

The votes of myself and everyone else of voting age must be allowed to matter and the only way that will happen is with proportional representation on a national basis taking into account the complete vote and dividing it by the number of MPs to give a fair and honest share of seats in parliament.

I am aware that this will drastically complicate how our governmental system works, not least of all because it will no longer elect sitting MPs based on constituency victories, but saying that I also think in the long run it would be far fairer to have MPs represent 100 per cent of the people with no bias rather than leaning towards those who put them in office. 

Unless and until this happens I believe we merely pay lip service to democracy.

Therefore I apologise in advance to the poll officers, but come May 5 please expect at least one spoiled vote.

DENIS HODGKINSON
Bayham Place, NW1