Why UK Labour lost? Part 2: UK Labour’s Strange loyalty to First Past the Post.
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2:56 am, January 13th, 2020 - 13 comments
Categories: electoral systems, First Past the Post, labour, political parties, Politics, uk politics -
Tags: First Past the Post, nick kelly, UK election 2019, uk labour
I’ve made the point a number of times before, during and immediately after the election on this blog about the First Past the Post electoral system. I’ll make it again, the results in parliament DO NOT reflect the true vote. Labour won 10,269,076 votes in the general election. In terms of vote count this is its second best result since 2001. As a percentage of the vote labour received 32.2% in 2019. By contrast Labour’s percentages were 30.4% in 2015 and 29% in 2010. That the party had its worst results in terms of seats in parliament exposes the electoral system as not delivering results that represent public opinion.
Graph showing Labour’s total vote in each election since 2001.
The Attlee Government lost power in 1951, despite increasing its vote and winning more votes than Churchill’s Conservative Party that took office in that election. The government that created the NHS was brought down by First Past the Post. Yet Labour and many of its supporters in the UK continue to oppose electoral reform. Unite the Union, Labour’s largest affiliate union, recently took the position that electoral reform was not a priority instead wishing to focus on getting Labour elected. Because UK Labour continue to support First Past the Post, on its own terms it did suffer a terrible loss.
Electoral reform wouldn’t have won Labour this election. That the Party lost 2.5 million votes in two years makes it a bad election under any voting system. Yet for the Conservatives to have increased their vote by just over 1% between 2017 and 2019, yet this resulted in them gaining 48 seats in parliament shows how strange the FPP system really is.
For Labour, part of their analysis needs to be looking at how the current voting system does not serve their supporters or democracy as a whole well. And hasn’t for a long time. Proportional representation doesn’t guarantee left wing governments, both New Zealand and Germany have had many years of right wing government under this system. But it does mean the make up of parliament reflects the will of the people.
See earlier posts in this series:
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- Greens would push Labour much further on solar powerLabour’s plan to support rooftop solar is a step in the right direction, but falls short of what could be achieved through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment. ...1 week ago
- Release: Doubling rooftop solar to reduce bills & emissionsLabour will double the number of houses with rooftop solar in New Zealand, lowering household power bills, reducing emissions and boosting renewable electricity generation. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour will advance women’s health, careers, and legal protectionsA re-elected Labour Government will continue its proud tradition of advancing women’s health, employment, and legal rights Spokesperson for Women Jan Tinetti said. ...1 week ago
- Green Party confirms plan for five weeks annual leaveSpeaking at the E Tū Election Launch in Auckland today, Green Party co leader Marama Davidson outlined the Green Party’s manifesto commitment to ensure everyone has five weeks of annual leave. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour to keep lifting worker wages and rightsA re-elected Labour Government will protect hard-fought workers’ rights and keep the momentum on wage growth to lift incomes for all New Zealanders, leader Chris Hipkins announced today. ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand First Party List 2023New Zealand First is proud to announce the Party List for the upcoming 2023 General Election. We have had a great number of applicants and potential candidates moving through the selection process over the past few months. Our final selection for our list proves we have a wide range ...2 weeks ago
- A National/ACT Government would make life miserable for those already worst offOnly a party vote for the Greens will end poverty. ACT’S welfare policy announced today is as cruel as it gets. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Willis’ resignation call means only one thing – $2 billion more cutsMassive cuts to public service are on the cards as Nicola Willis has promised to resign if she doesn’t deliver tax cuts but is refusing to make the same commitment if she doesn’t raise enough income from her bungled foreign buyer’s tax. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: A faster justice system focused on victimsLabour will help more victims of crime achieve justice faster by introducing a formal class-action regime, modernising consent laws and increasing the use of technology to speed up hearings. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gaping hole confirmed in National’s tax planA whopping $2.1 billion dollar hole has been confirmed in National’s tax scheme in a new report released today. ...2 weeks ago
- Labour pledges biggest ever increase to training DoctorsLabour will deliver the largest ever increase to the number of doctors trained each year, adding an additional 335 doctors a year to our health workforce from 2027, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins has announced. ...2 weeks ago
- PREFU Exposes Political PromisesToday’s PREFU has some alarming statistics showing an economy deteriorating and the cost of unaffordable government expenditure, mainly in the 2022 and 2023 budgets. Despite this alarming economic and fiscal picture, political parties are making unaffordable promises, talking about a surplus by 2027, or four years time, all of which ...2 weeks ago
- State of books makes clear case for wealth taxThe case for a wealth tax has never been stronger. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour pledges free cervical screeningIf re-elected Labour will make cervical screening services free to all women and people with a cervix aged 25 – 69 years, delivering better cancer care for over 1.4 million New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...1 day ago - Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefitRegions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...3 days ago
- Immigration settings updatesJudicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...4 days ago
- Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga HohepaTangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...5 days ago
- Renewable energy fund to support community resilience40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...5 days ago
- COVID-19 funding returned to GovernmentThe lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...5 days ago
- Appointment of District Court JudgeSusie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today. Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...5 days ago
- Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilienceThe Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...6 days ago
- Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-upAnother $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...6 days ago
- Taupō Supercars revs up with Government supportThe future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...6 days ago
- There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarterThe economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...6 days ago
- Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springsThe Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today. “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...6 days ago
- More support for victims of migrant exploitationTemporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...1 week ago
- Strong export boost as NZ economy turns cornerAn export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...1 week ago
- Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te KarakaThe Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...1 week ago
- Further business support for cyclone-affected regionsThe Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...1 week ago
- New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underwayDefence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...1 week ago
- Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General AssemblyForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...1 week ago
- Midwives’ pay equity offer reachedAround 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand provides support to MoroccoAotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...2 weeks ago
- Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilienceThe Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...2 weeks ago
- Government invests in Greymouth’s futureThe Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...2 weeks ago
- Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ MeetingForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...2 weeks ago
- PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflationEconomy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...2 weeks ago
- New cancer centre opens in ChristchurchPrime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...2 weeks ago
- Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience$12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...2 weeks ago
- New Wildlife Act to better protect native speciesThe 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced. “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said. “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...3 weeks ago
- Further safety initiatives for Auckland City CentreCentral and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...3 weeks ago
- Govt confirms additional support for Enabling Good LivesThe Government has confirmed $73.7 million over the next four years and a further $40.5m in outyears to continue to transform the disability support system, Minister for Disability Issues Priyanca Radhakrishnan has announced. “The Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach is a framework which guides positive change for disabled people, ...3 weeks ago
- New Zealand gets AAA credit rating from S&PStandard and Poor’s is the latest independent credit rating agency to endorse the Government’s economic management in the face of a deteriorating global economy. S&P affirmed New Zealand’s long term local currency rating at AAA and foreign currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook. It follows Fitch affirming New ...3 weeks ago
- Appointment of Environment Court JudgeChristchurch barrister Kelvin Reid has been appointed as a Judge of the Environment Court and the District Court, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Mr Reid has extensive experience in Resource Management Act issues, including water quality throughout the South Island. He was appointed to the Technical Advisory Group advising the ...3 weeks ago
- NZ’s biggest ever emissions reduction project hits milestoneNew Zealand is on track to have greener steel as soon as 2026 with New Zealand Steel’s electric arc furnace project reaching a major milestone today. The Government announced a conditional partnership with New Zealand Steel in May to deliver the country’s largest emissions reduction project to date. Half of ...3 weeks ago
- The book Raf Manji wishes he never read
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: TOP leader Raf Manji. The book I wish I’d written The Mandibles: A Family 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver. It covers much of what I’ve been thinking ...1 hour ago - Labour’s Fiscal Plan Doubles Down On More Spending, High Taxes And Runaway Debt
Responding to the Labour Party’s Fiscal Plan, Taxpayers’ Union Head of Campaigns, Callum Purves, said: “Labour’s current economic plan of overtaxing hard-working New Zealanders just to waste money on middle-managers, consultants and vanity projects ...2 hours ago - Māori Health Should Not Be A Political Football : Hāpai Te Hauora & E Tipu E Rea Whānau Servi...It has been just over a year since Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, came into effect and yet as we lead into the election a running theme from some parts of the political sphere is to ask the question "Why hasn't the Māori Health ...2 hours ago
- Fiscal plans fly as overseas voting opens
Everything the Labour Party has promised it can pay for with some left over, it says, but National has dubbed the notion a fantasy The Labour Party has released its fiscal plan showing how its election promises and the ongoing cost pressures in the public sector would fit within Budget allowances. Finance spokesperson ...2 hours ago - Ruapehu has had a great ski season – but we need to reimagine the future of NZ’s iconic volcano
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Gender, University of Waikato As a former competitive snowboarder and instructor, and later a researcher of snow sports, I’ve been lucky to enjoy ski resorts around the world. But nothing compares to Mount Ruapehu ...2 hours ago - Election 2023: What you need to know before voting
Explainer - On 2 October, early voting will begin for the general election that will decide who will govern the country for the next three years. So let's take a look at the nuts and bolts of casting a vote. ...2 hours ago - Hackers offer stolen Auckland Transport data for sale on dark web
Customer and financial data 'not compromised', city's transport agency believes Auckland Transport confirms hackers have made good on their threat to offer up the transport agency’s stolen data on the dark web. Roger Jones, the executive general manager for business technology, and his team were monitoring the threat overnight, after a group ...3 hours ago - Election 2023: National announces plan for 300 more frontline police to tackle inner-city crimeCiting an escalation in crime in CBD areas, National has announced it would increase the number of frontline police officers focused on inner-city crime, if elected. ...3 hours ago
- Politics Of Benefit Sanctions Cruel And DishonestBenefit advocate and Welfare Expert Advisory Group member Kay Brereton is calling for some basic facts and empathy from political parties looking to fish for votes with beneficiary bashing. Brereton says the call to put sanctions on people on benefits ...3 hours ago
- Hipkins Completely Misunderstands His Own Party’s GST CostingsChris Hipkins’ claim this morning that Labour’s costings for removal of GST off fruit and veg account for behavioural changes are completely untrue. Responding to Mr Hipkins’ attacks on the Union, spokesman Jordan Williams said: “We couldn’t ...3 hours ago
- Demise of CSU news journalism course was ‘greatly exaggerated’A Charles Sturt University journalism academic says the evolving communication course at his institution in Australia continues to feed the ranks of the irrepressible “Mitchell Mafia’”. Jock Cheetham, senior lecturer in news and media in the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies in Bathurst, said recent “news” ...3 hours ago
- Overseas voting opens, campaign encourages Kiwis in Australia to voteAbout 78,000 enrolled voters have an overseas address, the Electoral Commission says. ...3 hours ago
- New poll: Labour maintains lead in Te Tai Tonga, albeit a shrinking oneTe Tai Tonga, the largest of the 71 electorates, and encompassing the entire South Island, Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, all the islands in the Southern Ocean, as well as a large part of Wellington City, has been held by incumbent Labour MP Rino Tirikatene for 12 years. And according ...3 hours ago
- Election 2023: National announces 300 more frontline police to tackle inner-city crimeCiting an escalation in crime in CBD areas, National has announced it would increase the number of frontline police officers focused on inner-city crime, if elected. ...3 hours ago
- Shop the fit: Winston PetersThis week in our campaign style series, Winston Peters is the king of snot-less pocket squares and bringing things back from the depths of his wardrobe. Not many encyclopaedic entries include politicians’ personal style, choosing instead things like biography, policies, speeches and ideological alignments. But in Te Ara, the official ...3 hours ago
- The Vested Interests Shaping National Party PoliciesAs the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts ...3 hours ago
- Younger Voters And Aucklanders Most Likely To Consider Voting Women’s Rights Party This ElectionNearly half of voters aged 18-39 [49%] said, in a Curia Poll, they would consider giving the Women’s Rights Party their party vote in the upcoming Election. In a poll conducted by Curia Market Research commissioned by the Women’s Rights ...4 hours ago
- Cold weather doesn’t stop regional democracyIt’s a cold and blustery day here in the central Hawke’s Bay and I’ve just pulled into a local cafe for a coffee and some food (I now understand why being on the road like our political leaders encourages you to eat a very pastry-heavy diet). I’m here to spend ...4 hours ago
- Media Led Into Incorrectly Crediting Firearm RegistryMedia have once again been led into incorrect reporting on the firearm registry, this time repeating claims that the new firearms registry enabled identification of a firearm on-seller, even though the data had been collected separately by Police ...4 hours ago
- Labour’s fiscal plan doubles down on its ‘trust us with your money’ aestheticNo surprises in today’s final fiscal announcement – but clear evidence Labour believes its request that National ‘show it the money’ is working. Prime minister Chris Hipkins and finance minister Grant Robertson delivered Labour’s fiscal plan – its vision for how it will raise money, and what it will spend ...4 hours ago
- NZ govt ‘welcomes’ US diplomatic relations with Cook Islands, NiueBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand government has given its full blessing to Cook Islands and Niue establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. At the US-Pacific summit on Monday (Washington time), President Joe Biden said he recognised the two island nations as sovereign and independent states, ...4 hours ago
- NZ govt ‘welcomes’ US diplomatic relations with Cook Islands, NiueBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The New Zealand government has given its full blessing to Cook Islands and Niue establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. At the US-Pacific summit on Monday (Washington time), President Joe Biden said he recognised the two island nations as sovereign and independent states, ...4 hours ago
- New Report Shows National Emissions Reduction Policies Could Impact Auckland Economy Harder Than Res...Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland could experience a six per cent reduction in GDP compared to the rest of Aotearoa New Zealand in 2050, according to a new climate report. Mitigating climate change in New Zealand: impacts on Auckland’s economy describes how the ...4 hours ago
- The everyday technologies essential for accessibilityIt’s easy to take for granted, but technology exists to help us. The Spinoff spoke to four people with disabilities about the tech they consider essential. We often think of technology as irking us – Duolingo scolds, Instagram pesters and TikTok steals time. But, if I did throw my phone ...5 hours ago
- Weird but true: The year’s most emotional TV played out on Celebrity Treasure IslandThe inspired casting of Tāme Iti on a fundamentally silly reality TV show paid off in an impossibly resonant scene last night. The scene is unimaginably pretty. Somewhere outside Wānaka, on an island far from any road, two men wander along the lakeside. The pair are bathed in sun despite ...5 hours ago
- Candidates Front Up On Social Issues...5 hours ago
- Leaflet Campaign Ranks Party Climate Policies — National And NZ First Bad, ACT WorstClimate change campaigners will be delivering 40,000 leaflets around the country to alert voters about which parties are best and worst on climate change policies. See attached leaflet. "You wouldn't know it from a lot of political posturing ...5 hours ago
- Newsletter: September 27 2023 – Items of interest and importance todayNew Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. NZ Politics Daily: 27 September 2023 ELECTION Gordon Campbell: On whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence and bashing beneficiaries, again Jessica Mutch ...5 hours ago
- Election 2023: Labour's fiscal plan looks to reduce government spending, maintain income tax se...Labour has released its fiscal plan stating now is not the time for additional taxes and acknowledged the next few Budgets would be tight. ...5 hours ago
- New IEA Report A Warning That National Must Abandon Offshore Oil Drilling Policy – GreenpeaceFollowing the release of the International Energy Agency (IEA) ‘Net Zero Roadmap Update' yesterday, Greenpeace Aotearoa says that the National Party is out of touch with its promise to reverse the 2018 ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration. ...5 hours ago
- Labour releases fiscal plan promising further savings and return to surplus in 2027Labour has released its fiscal plan, a 12-page document laying out its spending plans over the next three years in response to the PREFU released earlier this month. It is forecasting a return to budget surplus in 26/27, and net debt to peak at 22.8% in the 24/25 fiscal year. ...5 hours ago
- Labour releases fiscal plan promising further savings and return to surplus in 2027Labour has released its fiscal plan, a 12-page document laying out its spending plans over the next three years in response to the PREFU released earlier this month. It is forecasting a return to budget surplus in 26/27, and net debt to peak at 22.8% in the 24/25 fiscal year. ...5 hours ago
- Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence, September Quarter 2023The Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index (ECI) fell by 7.4 points to 98.3 in the September quarter. This is the first time since March 2021 that households have held a negative view about conditions in the labour market, and the lowest reading ...6 hours ago
- Mount Albert candidates listen to renting horror stories at eventAt an event in Grey Lynn last night hosted by advocacy group Renters United, candidates for the Mount Albert electorate discussed housing issues with renters. Instead of a standard debate format, the event rotated candidates between tables of renters, giving attendees the chance to talk about some of their concerns ...6 hours ago
- Mount Albert candidates listen to renting horror stories at eventAt an event in Grey Lynn last night hosted by advocacy group Renters United, candidates for the Mount Albert electorate discussed housing issues with renters. Instead of a standard debate format, the event rotated candidates between tables of renters, giving attendees the chance to talk about some of their concerns ...6 hours ago
- Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Labas, Lecturer in Management, Federation University Australia Food waste is a global problem with approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year throughout the food lifecycle – from the farm to food manufacturers and households. Across the food supply chain, ...6 hours ago
- 7 ways to look after yourself and your community before and after the Voice referendumSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacob Prehn, Associate Dean Indigenous College of Arts, Law, and Education; Senior Lecturer – Indigenous Fellow, Social Work, University of Tasmania GettyImages The lead-up to the Voice referendum is already affecting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...6 hours ago
- Why the Voice could be a bulwark against Trumpism gaining a stronger foothold in AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Wolpe, Non-resident Senior Fellow, United States Study Centre, University of Sydney As former Labor minister Barry Jones has wisely noted, the Voice referendum feels like 2016 all over again. The shock from the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom in ...6 hours ago
- What do we know about long COVID in kids? And what do I do if I think my child has it?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shidan Tosif, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne While COVID in children has generally been milder than in adults, there are concerns long COVID may be a major consequence for children and young people arising from the pandemic. Long COVID, ...6 hours ago
- Playful whales can use seaweed as a hat – or exfoliant. This “kelping” behaviour is more commo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University WA Western Whale Watch Australia, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a whale, there’s often not too much to see out in deeper water. Perhaps that’s why so many whales get playful with ...6 hours ago
- Meet the experts in selling scienceFor New Zealand scientists trying to solve big-picture problems, turning them into commercial businesses is often an afterthought. Vanessa Young from the MacDiarmid Institute talks to some of the people guiding scientists through this journey. For many of us, trying to understand the hi-tech world of startups is challenging at ...6 hours ago
- Meet the experts in selling scienceFor New Zealand scientists trying to solve big-picture problems, turning them into commercial businesses is often an afterthought. Vanessa Young from the MacDiarmid Institute talks to some of the people guiding scientists through this journey. For many of us, trying to understand the hi-tech world of startups is challenging at ...6 hours ago
- On the campaign trail with Carmel SepuloniThe deputy PM on boosting the Pasifika vote turnout, her go-to cafe order and why she doesn’t want to be prime minister. Nestled among Titirangi’s native bush and towering trees, down a short steep driveway, with Labour Party hoardings spotting the yard, is the home of deputy prime minister and ...6 hours ago
- The candidate prepared to cross the floor against their own party
The voters aren't coming to them, so Maungakiekie's candidates are going to the voters. ‘They want to hear me say that if I become the local MP, I will lie on the proposed railway tracks. And I will!’ ...6 hours ago - The Bulletin: Does more advance voting impact results?Overseas voting in the October election starts today, ahead of local voting booths opening on Monday. In today’s Bulletin, the rise and rise of advance voting. In 2020, Claire Robinson concluded that advance voting probably benefits the traditional major parties and that the so-called minor parties benefit from late strategic voting. “Since ...7 hours ago
- Luxon and Hipkins ready for next showdownIt’s Tuesday, September 27 and welcome back to The Spinoff’s election live updates. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, on deck from Palmerston North, with support from our news team around the country. Get in touch with me on [email protected] Learn more about the political parties and where they stand at Policy.nz ...7 hours ago
- National, NZ First propose tougher beneficiary sanctions, trade tax barbsIn the same week National leader admitted he would work with New Zealand First, both parties have launched new policies aimed at reducing the number of people on benefits. Both take a hardline approach, though are significantly differ. While National’s proposal would introduce a tiered, traffic light framework at which ...7 hours ago
- The golden girl returns
Tayla Bruce has gone from a teenager fan with an NZ fern in her hair to world champion in bowls. Angela Walker tells her remarkable story “A true full circle moment,” is how Tayla Bruce described the surprise celebration that was put on for her at her bowls club in Christchurch. When ...7 hours ago - The rise and rise of advance votingOverseas voting opens today and advance voting starts on Monday. How influential could offshore voting be, and why are we still waiting for fiscal plans, asks Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Just ...7 hours ago
- NZ’s Green Party is ‘filling the void on the left’ as voters grow frustrated with Labour’s c...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Kurian, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Waikato The Green Party has run a strong campaign. With a 14.2% share in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, up by 1.9 percentage points since the previous poll, that is more ...8 hours ago
- Election 2023 updates: All the latest developments on 27 SeptemberOverseas voting for this year's general election starts today, with people having up until Election Day to cast their ballots. ...8 hours ago
- Māori leaders' debate ricochets from one hot button to next
Aaron Smale tuned in to TVNZ’s Kaupapa Māori Debate which heard from Māori from each of the main parties. He didn't find a lot to get excited about. Comment: It was a shambles but it was also telling. None of the political parties seem to have any coherent vision about where ...9 hours ago - Revolutionize Ocean Conservation: End Bottom Trawling And DredgingIndependent Whangarei Candidate Fiona Green thinks bottom trawling and dredging should be phased out because they have significant negative impacts on marine ecosystems. "Bottom trawling involves dragging a large net along the seafloor to catch fish ...9 hours ago
- Welfare experts group members criticise National's beneficiary policyMembers of the 2019 Welfare Expert Advisory Group have rejected National's claim their report backs up the party's harsher sanctions for some jobseekers. ...9 hours ago
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English support for FPTP is the English trait of myopic refusal to learn from either Johnny foreigner or upstart colonials and a slavish adherence to tradition for it’s own sake at it's best.
In their curiously insular way, the poms are constantly surprised to find out that we have a Westminster system using a PR voting system, yet IMHO we come closest to being a model on how they could structure their system.
The British held a referendum on changing the election system back in 2011 as it was part of the conditions of the coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal-Democrats. It soundly rejected moving away from the FPTP system by over 2/3rds. There is currently no groundswell of opinion to revisit the issue. Perhaps if there was such a movement like there was in NZ before our switch to MMP then it would pay for UK Labour to adopt this as a key policy platform. If there isn't then this will just be another policy that will turn off many British voters.
The 2011 was not for Proportional Representation. And no effort was really made to run a decent campaign explaining the benefits.
Not suggesting it should be Labour's top election policy. But it could do something like propose a Royal Commission like NZ did back in 1986. And internally Labour can be engaging its 600,000 members on why PR is better for left of centre Party's overall.
There is deep dissatisfaction with politics in the UK presently. A proper campaign for PR could tap into this.
There's this view expressed by many that PR is the best system ever and if only people are exposed to it they will flock to it in numbers. The referendum in 2011 came about because the Liberal-Democrats wanted electoral reform (for entirely understandable but selfish reasons). Presumably they were aware of different forms of PR. They could have pushed for the referndum to be between a form of PR like MMP and FPTP however they didn't. Do you not think there may have been a reason why?
Our MMP campaign was led by Rod Donald, who proceeded to serve in parliament as Greens co-leader, but it was not seen as a Greens thing. It was seen as a movement of citizens fed up with National and Labour. It succeeded due to revulsion against neoliberalism (Rogernomics & Ruthenasia).
The duopoly were representing elites, not the people. The prescription was imported – the Bilderberg agenda – but the media, not wanting to look like conspiracy theorists, simply credited Thatcher/Reagan.
To what extent does UK disaffection arise from the same source. Well, the Bilderbergers haven't changed their agenda, have they? Duh!
Voters, being thick, need something easier to blame. They don't know that the EU is the primary Bilderberger project, hitherto successful. Brexit was caused by the alienation produced by EU mandarin governance, but it hasn't caused sufficient bipartisan disgust to make UK voters identify the two main parties as guilty. Support for proportional representation would only become contagious in the electorate if folks realised it would be better than the binary flip between two bad options. They could have learnt from the German model, but voters are mostly too parochial to do that.
I wouldn't expect Labour to endorse PR in principle unless a citizen campaign for it began to draw public support. Leaders are really followers nowadays…
Yeah, a major factor in the referendum was that the nats had accelerated rogernomics especially with the 1991 budget, when they'd actually campaign on reversing it – e.g. removing the lab4-introduced student loan scheme, and instead they raised fees and skyrcketed student loans.
Another was the big money campaign supporting FPP (Shirtcliffe) – in some ways MMP cemented in the rogernomic bullshit (it is a barrier to revolutionary reforms), but does moderate the "elected dictatorship" status of government. Two sides of the same coin.
UK voters: "thick" and "parochial" – nice one Dennis.
Buy my book: Blaming the Electorate
In New Zealand, both Labour and National supported FPP in the early 1990s. Duopolies don’t want new entrants. So no surprise UK Labour is taking this position. Both it and the Conservatives are over-represented in the House of Commons, and that’s how they both like it.
Yes, UK Labour wouldn't be able to be as radical as Corbyn made it under MMP as it would have to rely on support from centrist parties. Instead of calling for electoral reform perhaps the leftists should contemplate moderating the left wing policies as they have more chance of being elected under the current system if they did so than waiting for MMP where they won't be able to implement them anyway.
Ummm… Corbyn didn't lose the election on policy.
British Labour's distaste for FPP is quite simple – it doesn't want every election decided by the Liberals. I'd also point out that British Labour won February 1974, despite getting fewer votes than the Tories – sure there's 1951, but there's also a case of Labour benefiting from FPP, so its loyalty is hardly strange.
British Labour actually needs to switch over to support for proportional representation for a different reason – the electoral realignment taking place in Britain will act as an anti-Labour gerrymander.
This was always the plan, the tories getting a disproportionate number of seats compared to votes: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-rig-next-election-planned-boundary-changes-benefit-a8471811.html