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Attack on Scots voting system

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Published Date: 24 October 2006
THE Scottish voting system has been criticised today for being open to manipulation and for giving political parties too much power.
Speaking at a seminar at Oxford University, Lord Steel of Aikwood said the proportional representation list system, under which 56 of the 129 MSPs are elected, was unsatisfactory and unpopular.

The former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament also called for reforms so that all MSPs are elected by the single transferable vote system in multi-member seats.



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1

Robert,

Edinburgh 24/10/2006 11:56:30

I could not agree more with David Steel as for the past seven years we have seen defeated members like McAskill and Hyslop,who have never won an election between them, parade in front of the members who defeated them..... a farcical situation.They should not be allowed to stand as first past the post and list candidates ...one or the other

2

Porty Nat,

24/10/2006 12:18:23

Here speaks a man with experience. But what a shame he didn't appear to hold these views when he was chairing the Constitutional Convention which came up with this apology of an electoral system, or even when 'party manipulation' managed to get him placed top of the Lib Dem list for the Lothians back in 1999.

Personally, I find it more of an affront that we still have any vestage of First Past The Post in our system, which was only retained as a sop to Labour. Bring on the Single Transferrable Vote and multi-member constituencies.

3

Mr Crisps,

Haddington 24/10/2006 12:19:45

Yes, how can we tell them we want a change? Let's have a vote!

4

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

Newington 24/10/2006 12:40:09

The current system has been manipulated by minor parties under the banned of "Give your second vote to X". The idiots elected by such tactics have made the Parliament look like a clowns convention. Steel is right: let's make the changes.

5

Eve,

Scotland 24/10/2006 15:53:31

Sounds confuseing

6

'Suck' McCrunchie,

25/10/2006 01:07:05

This farce of a voting system lets the likes of Nicola Sturgeon in without actually being voted for directly.

So how can you get rid of her if its really her party who picked her?

7

Jm Forlum,

Glasgow 25/10/2006 08:26:32

If an incumbent MSP stands for re-election and is as a result defeated, then that MSP should have no place in the ensuing Parliament. They should be banned for the whole term of the ensuing Parliament as the voters they represented believed they had not warranted reselection. In the main due to the listings of political parties, such defeated MSP's are invariably near the top of any such list and as a result are re-elected under that system. What a load of self perpetuating nonsense, and a simple solution would by this proposed ban.

Will the politicians agree to this - not blooming likely. Should we raise a petition to Parliament and have it debated ?


 

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