Whichever of the big parties goes for PR first, will regain the long term initiative. This fragmentation and FPTP is blatantly unfair and wasteful of votes.
At some point voters may get tired of second-guessing who are the favourite and second favourite in their constituency - which many will get wrong as the MRP's aren't that good. There has been a high chance of parties misreading their vote as their support - likely in most Lib Dem seats the majority of their votes are second or third preference from other parties. Equally, the Green coalition, left, climate activists, NIMBY, looks very wide.
What I want to know, of course, is how this will play out in London. One particularly interesting post-GE map shows the second-placed parties in each of the capital's constituencies. There was a striking split between "traditional" Labour-Tory contests in the western half of Greater London, and an array of different colours in the eastern half, with Greens, Gaza protest Independents and even Reform UK being runners-up.
To prove how closely I've read this excellent piece: you have a double "been been" part way through, Rob.
Now corrected! Thanks for spotting - Substack posting does increase appreciation for the wonderful work subeditors do.
Whichever of the big parties goes for PR first, will regain the long term initiative. This fragmentation and FPTP is blatantly unfair and wasteful of votes.
At some point voters may get tired of second-guessing who are the favourite and second favourite in their constituency - which many will get wrong as the MRP's aren't that good. There has been a high chance of parties misreading their vote as their support - likely in most Lib Dem seats the majority of their votes are second or third preference from other parties. Equally, the Green coalition, left, climate activists, NIMBY, looks very wide.
What I want to know, of course, is how this will play out in London. One particularly interesting post-GE map shows the second-placed parties in each of the capital's constituencies. There was a striking split between "traditional" Labour-Tory contests in the western half of Greater London, and an array of different colours in the eastern half, with Greens, Gaza protest Independents and even Reform UK being runners-up.