Our voting system is often referred to as first past the post (FPTP). It is supposed to ensure that a single candidate emerges from each constituency and lead to stable governments. We can imagine an election like a horse race, where each candidate starts off with no votes to a finishing post somewhere in the … Continue reading First past which post?
Before you vote
By this time next week there will only be a few hours left to put your cross on the ballot paper in what might turn out to be the most decisive general election in a generation. All of the hustings will be over and the national coverage will be focused on guessing which party will … Continue reading Before you vote
When maps are not good enough
Sometimes seeing is not believing. I am thinking of when maps are presented to show the results of an election. Take the 2017 UK parliamentary election for example. A standard map projection of the UK, the type we are used to seeing in any atlas, shows England almost entirely Conservative blue. Ignoring the other parties … Continue reading When maps are not good enough
Why I’m hoping for a hung parliament
Strong and stable leadership, that is what we were promised, indeed that is what we are promised every time we come to an election. Our first past the post delivers decisive results and doesn’t leave us with a hung parliament, at least that is what those in power say and to paraphrase the words of … Continue reading Why I’m hoping for a hung parliament
History in straight lines
Whatever happens with Brexit, at some time in years to come there will be someone to write the biography of the latest Prime Minister. Depending upon whether the outcome is good for him or bad, the author will describe his actions and how they contributed to his unmitigated success or utter disaster. If the outcome … Continue reading History in straight lines
Respect the Referendum
So many times people have asked me the same question when talking about Brexit, ‘Do you not respect the referendum?’ My position is clear when it comes to whether we should leave the union or not though it is severely challenged by such a question. Yes, I respect it as a referendum though I think … Continue reading Respect the Referendum
Divisive language
The language of politics is becoming more divisive. Soundbites fall like stones in a pond and the ripples spread around the world at the speed of social media. It seems the more outlandish and provocative, the more likely they are to be taken up, liked, retweeted and shared. Every phrase is dissected by the media … Continue reading Divisive language
Until the referendum
I came across this on Quora Digest, an app where people can ask questions for others to answer. Politics looms large in the content they send me. It was from Marco Geleijnse, who studied at Radboud University Nijmegen ‘Until the referendum in 2016 I couldn’t care less about the EU. I thought of it like … Continue reading Until the referendum
Rent in twain
The veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Brexit has rent this country in two. Gone are the traditional party lines of boss versus worker, white versus blue collar and in has come a new schism. You are either a leaver or a remainer. The referendum of 2016 … Continue reading Rent in twain
Collaboration is good
Another distasteful outcome of the current political crisis is the poisoning of the English language. Words that have perfectly good meanings have become tainted. Obvious ones such as leaver and remainer have become tarnished with age, color and educational attainment. Each side of the argument uses these innocent words as pejorative. That, however, is the … Continue reading Collaboration is good
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 