London Banter - View Single Post - These writhing whales of the road have swung their hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time.

[email protected] · August 2nd 09, 10:15 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Just zis Guy, you know?) wrote:

On Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:38:25 +0100, Bruce
wrote:

Of course. A vote for a party that can never hope to form a
government is of course "a wasted vote".

See, when I rule the world the rules will be as follows: single
transferrable vote, and nobody elected who polls less than 50% of the
eligible electorate after transfers.

That's hardly compatible with STV with multi-member constituencies and
quota counting, the standard British form of PR. Almost no-one will then
poll over 50% of the electorate personally.

And of course if they introduce that, most MPs would be out of a job.
And the best thing for them.

Indeed. But I want some of the advantages, like reduced power of the
parties to coerce MPs to do what the people the represent don't.

I'll wait until they have picked themselves up off the floor before
outlining the rest of it: anyone with a degree in politics or similar
is disqualified, minimum age for candidacy is 40, 2 term limit in any
cabinet position and you must have worked for at least five of the
previous ten years in a job not immediately connected with politics.

Yes, that would be good, but then the first problem is to stop the "no
external jobs" idea. Ministers have two jobs already of course.

--
Colin Rosenstiel