16 February 2011 • 01:56
The surreal mind-game seems to get wound down. And with that, a woot woot. Imagine this. The democratic chamber has overruled the undemocratic chamber (green with envy, Canada?)
MPs reject 40% threshold plan for the AV referendum
MPs have overturned a proposition to get a referendum on the Westminster voting system non-binding unless 40% of the electorate take office in the poll.
Peers backed the bar earlier this month but the Commons rejected the proposition by a bulk of 70.
Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper said there was a "compelling" case for voters to form the last decision.
It`s fun reading about someone with the final name "Harper" taking the view that the unelected chamber should bow to the elected. Hee.
The referendum, slated for 5 May, now has a much better chance of being staged at all, and of being a just report of the popular will. The struggle for Alternative Vote supporters now is going to be to try to disassociate "Brand Electoral Reform" from the toxic "Brand Nick Clegg," which will not be easy, nor fun. Many former supporters of the abolishment of first-past-the-post will now potentially use the referendum as an affair to simply bludgeon the Lib Dems and rob them of their platform mantlepiece, sadly, which is going deep into cutting-off-nose-to-spite-face territory. Call the Lib Dems what names you will, people - this is your prospect to ordain one of their platform policies (ones which you voted for last year!), despite Clegg`s apparent Toryboy sycophancy.
That fight will be waged over the following few months. For now, at least, we can be happy that the referendum on the UK`s voting system won`t be content to quicksand regulations that go beyond those which regulate the election of MPs themselves. It`s a jackass and ganders situation, which the HoC has cottoned onto. No good setting a precedent whereby turnout thresholds threaten to scupper the voices of active electors.
So, in conclusion - phew. For now.
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