BBC just announced - official hung parliament

I didn't say that the UK were the only ones with FPTP.

ETA:  I think that it isn't a parliamentary system, has primaries, and the electoral college makes the American system a totally different system even if they are both FPTP methods.  This isn't to say that the American system is superior.  I think there are some of the same problems in both countries because of it (like the reliance on two dominant parties), but I think you can safely call them very different systems.

I agree that overall they are different systems. However, as the US also relies on fptp, the exact same issues could crop up in the Senate or House if there was a stronger third party in the US. I guess that one could argue that the differences in the US system (and the influence of campaign contributions on the two major parties) make it that more difficult for a third party in the US to establish itself. A two-party duopoly strikes me as unhealthy democratically though.

The UK's problem is the perceived unfairness of fptp where Labour and the Lib Dems can receive roughly the same percentage of the votes yet end up with radically differing numbers of seats due to the clustering of Labour support compared to the Lib Dems.

Much of this distortion is caused by the fact that poorer people have a markedly lower turnout - poorer people inevitably living in Labour constituencies.

Any decision to move away from FPTP would, implicitly, dilute the representation of the poor.

Much of this distortion is caused by the fact that poorer people have a markedly lower turnout - poorer people inevitably living in Labour constituencies.

However, the turnouts reported in most of the constituencies in the UK was very high compared to the US. Most were upper 60% up to upper 80 % even! I looked it up and the last presidential election had *record* turnout of 63% in the US over all. Most state and local elections have turnouts in the 20-30% range around where I live (GA).

Yeah, GA.  I know why people support PA in the UK.  It's not just the Lib Dems who support it though.

Much of this distortion is caused by the fact that poorer people have a markedly lower turnout - poorer people inevitably living in Labour constituencies.

Any decision to move away from FPTP would, implicitly, dilute the representation of the poor.

Or people would feel more like their voice would be heard if we break away from a total dominance of two parties which represent the establishment.

However, the turnouts reported in most of the constituencies in the UK was very high compared to the US. Most were upper 60% up to upper 80 % even! I looked it up and the last presidential election had *record* turnout of 63% in the US over all. Most state and local elections have turnouts in the 20-30% range around where I live (GA).

And these turnouts are of registered voters. Iirc, the percentage of eligible voters that register in the UK is a l,ot higher than in the US.

I belong to a union. They never said anything to me.

Oh yeah - I don't know if TykeMan or anyone else can answer this question for me...

I'm a member of a union, and so yesterday I got several text updates from the union asking me to vote Labour.  I mentioned this to DH and he said he thought that, as a union member, I would get to have some say/vote in the selection of the next Labour Party leader.  I said - 'How can that be?  I'm not a registered member of the Labour Party.'  He said he wasn't 100% sure, but he thought that union members - because of the union/Labour affiliation - got some say/vote on that.  Does anyone know about this?  It would be kind of cool if it's true!  

Sorry I'm not sure, having not been in a union for about 25 years!
Many unions are connected to the Labour Party and financially support them, and they have block votes for the Labour leadership but in recent years I think they've had less of a say. However I'm not sure how individual unions determine how they use that block vote.



Edit -  Sorry....I may learn to read to the end of a thread before replying in future! 

I belong to a union. They never said anything to me.

I get emails regularly, occasional post, and for this election - texts.  I presume it's still too early for them to contact anyone about the next Labour Party leader.

I get emails regularly, occasional post, and for this election - texts.  I presume it's still too early for them to contact anyone about the next Labour Party leader.

It certainly is when Gordon Brown hasn't resigned yet!

This is a weird one, because DW is in a TUC-affilliated union, so she's not able to vote in the General Election but could have a say in the next leader of the opposition!

I meant that they haven't contacted me about anything election-related at all.

Which union?

A decent few unions aren't affiliated and a few don't really get involved in politics - also, with the smaller affiliated unions they don't (generally) do much more than maintain a political fund and have their organisers work with the local party groups.

I meant that they haven't contacted me about anything election-related at all.

I'm sorry if this is a silly question, sweetpeach, but I honestly can't remember - are you now a British citizen, and on the Electoral Register for voting here?

Also, peterm1988 probably brings up a good point about which union.  (I'm a UNITE member.)

Or might you have opted out of receiving union communications (email/text/etc) at some point?

This is a weird one, because DW is in a TUC-affilliated union, so she's not able to vote in the General Election but could have a say in the next leader of the opposition!

That is pretty weird - lol! 

I'm sorry if this is a silly question, sweetpeach, but I honestly can't remember - are you now a British citizen, and on the Electoral Register for voting here?

Also, peterm1988 probably brings up a good point about which union.  (I'm a UNITE member.)

Or might you have opted out of receiving union communications (email/text/etc) at some point?

That is pretty weird - lol!  

Yes I'm a dual citizen. I'm a Unite member, too.  Maybe the mail is going into my spam folder.

Possibly - or if you opted out?  Or maybe didn't give them an email or mobile number when you signed up?  Or, when you first joined, were you a citizen then already?  If not, maybe your records need updating?  No idea beyond those!