Mark Taha
I write this letter on election day after voting. There seems to be a lot of fresh recognition of the need for electoral reform so I would like to reiterate my proposals on the issue.
The House of Commons to have 600 MPs plus the Speaker with no variation of more than 1% permitted in the number of voters per constituency.It would be elected by Alternative Vote every four years.
The Upper House to have 200 members elected by proportional representation on a national list system at the same time as and with equal power to the Commons .The list would consist of all parties contesting 10% or more of the seats for the Commons- in this election, Conservative, English Democrat, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru, Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, UKIP. All ex-Prime Ministers not in the Commons would have automatic membership of the Upper House-and, as to avoid giving too much power to political parties,let us add genuine people’s peers.
Let us each,alongside the elections every May, write in the name of someone we consider deserving of a place in the Upper House and anyone getting over 100,000 votes to be awarded a term there. I am sure Lord Branson or Baroness Lumley would have at least as much to offer as party hacks.
Local authorities would be elected by STV; I would like to restore the old Counties and Boroughs of fifty years ago like the LCC.
I would also have referenda on major issues every May – one third of MPs nationally or Councillors locally would be able to call one but each representative would only be able to help call one a year. One third of the MPs for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland would be able to call one on secession from the UK.
I believe that a Britain run on this system would have been more insular, socially conservative and economically egalitarian;such things as blood sports,trade union power and traditional British Sunday would have been ended a lot earlier. I would appreciate other readers’ comments.
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