Government promoting use of AV–like procedures

Although the referendum on AV for electing the house of commons has been lost, there nevertheless seems to be an emerging consensus for its use to elect other officials.

The government is proposing that both police commissioners and city mayors be elected by a variant of AV - the Supplementary Vote where voters only record their first and second preferences. This procedure is already used to elect the London mayor. This voting method is in the police bill and the localism bill currently before parliament. It makes good sense to use a preferential voting procedure to ensure that extreme unrepresentative minority candidates do not get in as can happen with first past the post. The requirement of that the winner gets majority support is an important safeguard.

These bills are in the names of the cabinet ministers responsible, both prominent Tory supporters of the NoToAV campaign during the referendum. Teresa May, the Home Secretary, is proposing the Police Reform and Social Responsibility bill, and Eric Pickles the Localism bill to increase the number of directly elected city mayors.

It would be interesting to know how they can justify proposing methods that they have condemned so unequivocally.

Dennis Leech : 11 May 2011 12:42 |  Tags: Alternative Vote Coalition Elected Mayors Police Commissioners Referendum |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem