BRITISH ELECTION PROVES THEY DESPERATELY NEED ELECTORAL REFORM

UKIP WON 13% OF THE VOTE -2\3rd's MORE THAN THE SNP, BUT ENDED UP WITH 1/56th AS MANY MP'S.

THIS IS BECAUSE THE BRITS DO NOT HAVE RUNOFFS IF THE WINNER HAS LESS THAN 50%, AND MOST OF THE SEATS ARE WON WITH LESS THAN 40%.

UKIP FINISHED THIRD OVERALL IN THE TOTAL VOTE COUNT GAINING MANY MORE VOTES THAN THE SNP AND LIB-DEMS COMBINED, BUT ENDED UP WITH ONLY ONE SEAT.

THIS MEANS UKIP'S 4 MILLION SUPPORTERS HAVE VIRTUALLY NO VOICE IN PARLIAMENT DESPITE BEING EXTREMELY POPULAR AND VOICING SUPPORT FOR POSITIONS NO OTHER PARTY SUPPORTS.

THIS IS TANTAMOUNT TO DISENFRANCHISING MILLIONS OF BRITISH VOTERS AND IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

IT'S SIMPLE TO FIX:

ADJUST ELECTORAL LAW TO REQUIRE AT LEAST 45% FOR THE WINNER, AND IF NO ONE GETS 45%, THEN HAVE A RUNOFF IN 3 WEEKS BETWEEN THE TOP TWO FINISHERS.

UKIP CAME IN SECOND IN MANY DOZENS OF CONTESTS AND SURELY MIGHT HAVE WON MAY OF THEM IF THEY HAD A RUNOFF SYSTEM LIKE THIS - WHICH MANY COUNTRIES AND STATES ALREADY HAVE.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD PREFER A PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM, SUCH AS IN ISRAEL.

EACH PARTY GETS A NUMBER OF SEATS PROPORTIONAL TO THEIR OVERALL TOTAL.

IN THIS SYSTEM UKIP WOULD HAVE WON 80 SEATS - MORE THAN THE LIB-DEMS AND THE SNP COMBINED.

MORE HERE:

http://infographics.economist.com/2015/general_election_proportional/?n=&w=595

EITHER WAY, BRITAIN WOULD HAVE A PARLIAMENT THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE.

I THINK MOST BRITS FEEL THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR REFORM.

IF IT DOES, THEN ELECTORAL REFORM WOULD BE ONE OF UKIP'S GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO BRITAIN - ALONG WITH FINALLY GETTING THE BRITISH A REFERENDUM ON EU MEMBERSHIP.

AND ANOTHER THING: FARAGE LOST HIS CONTEST AND RESIGNED AS PARTY LEADER. HE REMAINS AN MEP.

FARAGE LOST BECAUSE HE HAD TO RUN AGAINST THE ENTIRE NATIONAL MEDIA, AND BECAUSE THE TORIES SHREWDLY RAN A FORMER UKIP MEMBER AGAINST HIM.

C'EST LA VIE. FARAGE DESERVES A REST. I HOPE WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE LAST FROM HIM.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

IF THE TORIES RENEG ON THE REFERENDUM PROMISE, THEN AN ANTI-EU PARTY WILL WIN THE NEXT ELECTION.

THE SOONER THEY HOLD IT THE BETTER, BUT I SUSPECT CAMERON WILL WAIT UNTIL GREECE LEAVES THE EU, AND THE ESS HITS THE EFF.

FINAL NOTE:

IF LABOR REFORMS ITSELF INTO AN ANTI-EU AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT PARTY, THEN THEY COULD BECOME THE NEXT MAJORITY PARTY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY NEED TO BECOME LESS "PROGRESSIVE" AND MORE PRO-WORKING CLASS.

I DOUBT THEY WILL DO THIS; THEIR LEADERSHIP IS MADE UP OF IDEOLOGICAL LEFTISTS, NOT PRAGMATIC BLAIRITES.