U.K. elections

Press, 16 June 1983, Page 16

U.K. elections

Sir, — The lesson to be learnt from the U.K. electoral result is obvious for New Zealand. To overcome the representative unfairness of the electoral method used, Social Credit and all other minorities must abstain from participating in the next General Election to allow Labour to win. Labour, in return, must agree that if it wins, it will immediately introduce legislation that will change the method of election to one of proportional representation (PR) and hold such an election forthwith. The method adopted (STV for example) must ensure that the absolute majority of electors are represented in the government formed and that the form of the executive cabinet is also proportionally representative ’of the voters. — Yours, etc., L. J. ROBINSON. June 13, 1983.

Sir, — The latest election debacle shows yet again how sick and unnatural the first-past-the-post electoral system is. Yet another uphill landslide; yet another government with fewer votes but more seats. Obviously the public, here and in Britain, mistrust both the Government and the Opposition. The result, alas, is a greater majority in numbers of seats to the sitting party. But what I find most disturbing is that the winning side has the gall to pretend its technical knockout is a real victory, and a mandate to continue tightening belts and thumbscrews. To Mrs Thatcher and Mr Muldoon, we can say that fewer people voted for them this time than last time. It just happens that this electoral system, properly handled, will permit a minority ta go on ruling the majority. Some landslide! Yours, etc., ULLA PEDERSEN GRANT, Nelson. June 12, 1983.

Sir,—Your editorial on Mrs Thatcher’s election victory determinedly ignores the central fact: the British electoral system allows sixty per cent of the voters to elect only forty per cent of the members of Parliament. So long as this undemocratic system continues in Britain and New Zealand we will continue to have unrepresentative and unpopular governments. Third parties will continue to exist in both countries and force us to choose between electoral reform or abandoning any pretence of fair democratic elections. The main two parties and some sections of the media may continue to ignore this issue but the electors will not be fooled and bitterness and cynicism will increase.—Yours, etc., ALAN WILKINSON, Leader, N.Z. Values Party. June 14, 1983. Sir,— Disturbing features mark £ the British Conservative win. For a quarter of the votes cast, the new

third party gained only 3 per cent of the seats, Labour near the same result fared not badly while Mrs Thatcher with only 42 per cent of the poll had a landslide. Perhaps Britain and New Zealand wait for a government returned by only the present Democrat voting figure before adopting a fair vote system. Mrs Thatcher copied Ronald Reagan by using a misnamed sincerity machine. As all she did was read what the computer at her feet told her, she was superfluous when a human copy robot could do the job. Will candidates be redundant when this Orwellian nightmare comes? Will election games supersede war ones? It is time such depersonalising was stopped. We do want democracy to survive. People, we must never forget, are more important than things. — Yours, etc., A. M. COATES. June 13, 1983.