Sunday, April 24, 2011

WHY I'M VOTING NO



I've been schizophrenic about my vote on the AV referendum. Electoral reform is a good move but when I look at those saying yes like Alan Johnson (shudder) and Nick Clegg (vomit) I wonder whether voting with my heart rather than my head is a good idea after all.

Then I look at those who I coouldn't disagree with more on all sorts of issues like Diane Abbott, Caroline Flint, or David Cameron who are urging a no vote and I'm swinging back towards yes again.

Cleggie was right when he said AV was "a miserable little compromise" and I think he should be ashamed that he's let his party become Tory underdogs. When offered the titbit of AV he grabbed it rather than hold out for something better like PR - the only fair solution to our unfair voting system.

If we vote yes on may 5 then we'll be stuck with it. We won't do it again so I'm rather persuaded by the devil you know rather than the devil you don't argument.

Others are saying no because of the cost and I agree with that too. Actually it's obscene that Cameron has allowed this folly to happen when he's cutting back on services further than a neighbour with conifer trees under a court order.

It's not that I don't want electoral reform but we should have been offered PR and Clegg should have fought for that or not bothered at all. Cameron shouldn't be wasting our time or our money on keeping Cleggie off his back.