Political Question

[andrewducker]

At the moment the House of Lords are debating the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.

I've heard numerous claims that this bill is incredibly unfair, and blatant gerrymandering by the Conservative Party.

Looking at the details, I'm feeling baffled. I can see a claim that the exemption for the three Scottish constituencies (Two Liberal Democrat, on Scottish National Party) are biased in their favour. But I can't see how a system whereby people are grouped together in what's going to be a massively arbitrary manner (each area must be within 5% of the national average, and are set up by independent bodies - the Boundary Commissions).

I don't really have a stake in this one - I'd just like someone to explain how this system would give an advantage to any one party. I can see that it could _remove_ advantage from a party if the old system with much less equal constituency sizes gave that party an advantage, but I'm totally failing to see how it's anything like gerrymandering.

Am I missing something obvious?

Comments

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Well, there is the position that everyone is entitled to vote as a basic right. But the solution would seem to be more effective voter registration drives than anything to do with electoral boundaries?

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I think both, because it is such a massive problem, and a growing one

[andrewhickey.livejournal.com]

Agreed. And unfortunately there are many people in our society who don't have that basic right, such as my wife. Voting is still a privilege, not a right, in this country.