"The arguments against proportional representation have melted away
First Past the Post was designed for a previous era. We must change all of our politics - but the voting system first.
Close your eyes and imagine a democratic dystopia in which no one gets what they want. Now open them. Welcome to the politics of Britain in 2015."
www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/neal-lawson/arguments-against-proportional-representation-have-melted-away
This is the biggest crisis the Etsablishment have faced in our lifetimes.
All the think tanks and Oxbridge bigwigs must have been tasked with coming up with a solution. And yet here is a report by some learned people saying essentially that the crisis is not that big.
"Conclusion: Is there a crisis of democracy in Britain?
On certain measures, Britain does, indeed, appear to be facing something of a crisis in its political system. Levels of trust in government and confidence in the political system are lower than they were little more than a decade ago. Electoral turnout has fallen sharply, most noticeably at the 2001
general election. Meanwhile, the introduction of new political institutions since 1997, designed in part to restore people’s trust and confidence, appears to have had little impact.
On the other hand, people do not seem more disengaged from the political system. Participation outside the ballot box has increased somewhat over the last fifteen or so years.
...
These conclusions suggest that the remedies for any ‘crisis’ largely lie in the hands of politicians themselves. Trust is acquired when words and actions accord with one another. And only a closely fought and clear competition between the parties appears to prompt many citizens to cast their vote. Meanwhile constitutional change should not be regarded as a quick fix. British democracy—and especially its politicians—certainly face a ‘challenge’. But talk of a ‘crisis’ is premature."
www.ucl.ac.uk/spp/publications/unit-publications/112.pdf
This is dreaming, avoiding facing reality. Of course people care about politics - that is why the OAPs shouted at Cameron "answer the question", "rubbish" and "lies", but that shows how dissatisfied people are with our leadership.
The report above concludes
"These conclusions suggest that the remedies for any ‘crisis’ largely lie in the hands of politicians themselves."
Laughable. Left in the hands of the home flippers and bath plug claimants? The solution should be placed in the hands of the people via proportional representation,local democracy and direct democracy, not left to the out of touch elite political class.