PR back on the agenda as post- electoral depression looms
Is it fair, asks Lord O’Donnell, that Ukip and the Greens will win lots of votes and very few seats?
The looming threat of a post-election shambles with David Cameron remaining in Number Ten without a working majority has put reform of Britian’s first-past-the-post system firmly back on the agenda for voters who fear they could be cheated by the result.
Labour said it would be a “constitutional outrage” for Cameron to “squat” in Downing Street if the Conservatives won more seats than Labour but were unable to command a majority of votes in Parliament. But that is exactly what Cameron appears to be ready to do.
Lord O’Donnell, who drew up the Cabinet manual that will be the rule book for the post-election negotiations, confirmed that Cameron will be able to stay on as Prime Minister until 27 May when the Queen’s Speech has to be delivered, even if he cannot put together a majority in the Commons.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“The Prime Minister remains PM after the elections,” said O’Donnell, the former Cabinet Secretary. “He can take a Queen’s Speech to the House of Commons even if he is well short of the numbers.”
But O’Donnell, appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme, added his weight to the calls for voting reform.
“All elections have their issues about legitimacy,” he said. “In our system every individual MP can get through without winning the majority of the votes even in that constituency. You can have three-way marginals.
“There will be questions about whether it’s fair that Ukip and the Greens got lots and lots of votes, and very few seats. It’s for us to think about: is this the electoral system we want for our country?”
O’Donnell pointed out that a referendum on proportional representation in 2011 was heavily defeated by 68 per cent to 32 per cent.
But if the 2015 general election delivers the second hung Parliament in five years, many voters will argue the first-past-the-post system no longer delivers the clear outcome nor the stability that it used to. A poll for The Independent found that 61 per cent now support voting reform.
Meanwhile, Cameron stepped up his bid to hold on to power by accusing Ed Miliband on the Today programme of preparing to carry out a “con trick” on the British electorate by denying he will do a deal with the SNP but actually preparing to govern with their tacit support.
Cameron has also ordered his policy chief, Oliver Letwin, to flesh out a deal for running a minority government with the support of the Lib Dems, the Financial Times reports.
There is no guarantee, however, that Clegg’s own party will not split over the issue. Clegg has refused to make Cameron’s promise to the electorate of an in-out referendum on the EU a “red line” but Tim Farron, the former Lib Dem president, said it could be a deal-breaker.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
David Cameron resigns as Sunak names shadow cabinet
Speed Read New foreign secretary joins 12 shadow ministers brought in to fill vacancies after electoral decimation
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's Labour Party wins in a landslide
Speed Read The Conservatives were unseated after 14 years of rule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published