Is the old two party system coming to an end?

For democracy to work effectively, citizens must vote.

So democracy means compulsorily voting for someone/a party you disagree with less than any of the others? Surely democracy is having the right to vote or not vote according to your own wish?

Casting your vote is a cornerstone of a democratic society, by not casting a vote you abdicate your right to have a say, at the most fundamental level. That’s why I think everybody should be required to vote, that doesn’t mean they have to vote for a major party though.

But you'd force them vote for somebody, even if there was nobody whose policies met their own standards? Under our present system unless you vote for a major party you might as well not bother as the chance your vote will have any influence is negligible. Bring in a different system to fptp and you'll maybe have a slightly stronger case for enthusiastic encouraging of voting, but compulsion? Never in my book, that way lies dictatorship. Voting today, but what next tomorrow?

Or to vote for none of the parties offered, although as I said previously to understand as far as possible what that meant. Your book isn’t my book, I don’t see dictatorship as a consequence of all eligible voters casting a vote, I see democracy.

One question is bugging me for some time. How can it be allowed, in a democracy, for a party to be run as a PLC? Surely that must be stopped, and donations fully vetted, from UK only, and capped?

Less time spent scoring points off each other would allow politicians to spend some time & investigate why people don't vote & what would make the public feel more involved. Although the last election was odd - Conservatives were not easy to vote for given their record, Reform can look like clowns & some people have never voted Labour & never will, so maybe the low turnout was to be expected.
Agree compulsory voting is not an answer, once you're told you have to vote, before you know where you are they're telling you who to vote for.

valdavi

The PR referendum was 2011, the Scottish independence referendum 2014. If we have another referendum to alter the voting system, we'll also need to let the Scots have another won't we? & after Brexit, I can't see either of the main parties keen to go to the country/ies on either of those issues.

This is completely muddled thinking. PR has nothing to do with Scottish Independence nor Brexit. They are not linked.
Also, the easiest way to alienate Scots is to patronise them, which you did with such ease as Paddyanne quite rightly pointed out. It should not be up to Westminster to "allow" a Scottish Referendum on Independence.

Rosie51

But you'd force them vote for somebody, even if there was nobody whose policies met their own standards? Under our present system unless you vote for a major party you might as well not bother as the chance your vote will have any influence is negligible. Bring in a different system to fptp and you'll maybe have a slightly stronger case for enthusiastic encouraging of voting, but compulsion? Never in my book, that way lies dictatorship. Voting today, but what next tomorrow?

Never knew Australia was a dictatorship. Compulsory voting the norm there. Labour are never going to change the voting system when they can get in with not even half the population voting for them. 33% wasn't it.

The next election looks like it could be a three way split between Labour, Reform and the Conservatives, with both parties having a similar share of the vote. The Greens and Lib Dems seem to have reached their natural limit and probably won't gain any more votes next time. However, the Lib Dems could actually hold the balance of power if Labour can't get a majority.

Far too early to call! too many factors, 2 major ones being obviously how Labour has done, the other one being the Conservative Party's ability to have clear firm policies that attract that "lost" group, right-centrists and can draw a clear line between themselves and Reform.

Yes, to a post above, how on earth is a PLC allowed to stand for parliament?

I used to be very pro PR until I see the difficulties other countries are running into at the moment. Our system still allows coalitions.

PR and compulsory voting is no panacea as Australia knows, if the Scots get independance they can choose whatever system they want

Wyllow3

Far too early to call! too many factors, 2 major ones being obviously how Labour has done, the other one being the Conservative Party's ability to have clear firm policies that attract that "lost" group, right-centrists and can draw a clear line between themselves and Reform.

Yes, to a post above, how on earth is a PLC allowed to stand for parliament?

I think we’ll be waiting a long time fir an answer to that one….

MayBee70

Wyllow3

Far too early to call! too many factors, 2 major ones being obviously how Labour has done, the other one being the Conservative Party's ability to have clear firm policies that attract that "lost" group, right-centrists and can draw a clear line between themselves and Reform.

Yes, to a post above, how on earth is a PLC allowed to stand for parliament?

I think we’ll be waiting a long time fir an answer to that one….

I doubt whether a centre right Tory party would be able to win a working majority, any more than a centre left Labour Party would. Those with stronger views voting for an alternative party like Reform are always going to dilute the vote. It’s unusual for a government to have a large majority I approve of the present one, many others liked Johnson’s large majority and look where that got us.

The economy is not growing under this government. Let’s hope for some improvement soon. There had been signs of economic recovery before the election but the economy now has zero growth.

ronib

The economy is not growing under this government. Let’s hope for some improvement soon. There had been signs of economic recovery before the election but the economy now has zero growth.

Hardly surprising, everyone is sitting on their cash because of harder times forecast, no feel good factor at all.