Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #makevotesmatter
Most recents (9)
Liz Truss vs Rishi Sunak for Prime Minister is a very grim state of affairs.
It shouldn't overshadow though Keir Starmer saying Proportional Representation "is not a priority."
The pandemic, partygate & the awful roll back of our rights all stem from a total lack of democracy.
It shouldn't overshadow though Keir Starmer saying Proportional Representation "is not a priority."
The pandemic, partygate & the awful roll back of our rights all stem from a total lack of democracy.
Of course Truss and Sunak's politics are awful.
But by defending first past the post, Keir Starmer is essentially ensuring that we have more Tory Governments for the rest of our lives despite the majority of the country voting left or left of centre.
When will Labour get this?
But by defending first past the post, Keir Starmer is essentially ensuring that we have more Tory Governments for the rest of our lives despite the majority of the country voting left or left of centre.
When will Labour get this?
This is all in the context of the country boiling over in the climate crisis, a cost of living crisis and politics in shreds.
If Labour can't support reforming our democracy now - when will it ever be a priority?
We need to #MakeVotesMatter.
If Labour can't support reforming our democracy now - when will it ever be a priority?
We need to #MakeVotesMatter.
So, the government just made you use FPTP more. What happened, and what's next, and a few silver linings @MakeVotesMatter @DemDefCoalition (1/9)
An amendment came to the #ElectionsBill tonight to stop the government's plan to impose FPTP on mayoral/PCC elections.
It didn't pass, by a tiny margin! We lost a few Peers who had voted for other amendments, particularly due to the vote's timing (2/9)
It didn't pass, by a tiny margin! We lost a few Peers who had voted for other amendments, particularly due to the vote's timing (2/9)
Does it suck, yes! But lots of great things happened:
First, the Labour Party came out strongly against more FPTP, with the frontbench teams in both houses voting against.
Many thanks to @CatSmithMP, @AlexNorrisNN and @SueHayman1 for leading on this.
labourlist.org/2022/02/fight-…
First, the Labour Party came out strongly against more FPTP, with the frontbench teams in both houses voting against.
Many thanks to @CatSmithMP, @AlexNorrisNN and @SueHayman1 for leading on this.
labourlist.org/2022/02/fight-…
The UK has voted for parties to the left of the Tories in all but 3 elections since WW2 and yet the Tories have been in power for 46 of the last 76 years.
So our government has been more Right-Wing than the majority of UK voters for most of a lifetime!
THREAD.
#MakeVotesMatter
So our government has been more Right-Wing than the majority of UK voters for most of a lifetime!
THREAD.
#MakeVotesMatter
1945 Election vote share:
Labour - 48% ✅
Liberal - 9%
Conservative - 36%
Clear left-wing vote lean.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_Unit…
Labour - 48% ✅
Liberal - 9%
Conservative - 36%
Clear left-wing vote lean.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_Unit…
1950 Election vote share:
Labour - 46% ✅
Liberal - 9%
Conservative - 43%
Clear left-wing vote lean.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_Unit…
Labour - 46% ✅
Liberal - 9%
Conservative - 43%
Clear left-wing vote lean.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_Unit…
What democracy looks like: (short thread)
I just voted in Dutch general elections. I voted for one of the parties that wasn't VVD (sorry Mark Rutte).
If the Dutch used First Past the Post, Mark would've been able to rule the Netherlands however he wants - just look at this map
I just voted in Dutch general elections. I voted for one of the parties that wasn't VVD (sorry Mark Rutte).
If the Dutch used First Past the Post, Mark would've been able to rule the Netherlands however he wants - just look at this map
However, despite the fact that his party was the largest party in most councils, his party only actually got around 22 or 23% of the total vote.
So - his job now is to find other parties so that between them, they represent over 50% of the country's vote.
Which is fab - why?
So - his job now is to find other parties so that between them, they represent over 50% of the country's vote.
Which is fab - why?
Three reasons.
1️⃣ my vote didn't end up in the bin - instead it properly contributed to the number of seats of my chosen party
2️⃣ one party doesn't get freedom to dictate its entire manifesto on a 23% vote share
3️⃣ compromise and consensus building is built in
1️⃣ my vote didn't end up in the bin - instead it properly contributed to the number of seats of my chosen party
2️⃣ one party doesn't get freedom to dictate its entire manifesto on a 23% vote share
3️⃣ compromise and consensus building is built in
Can someone explain how it's controversial to say that government policy should reflect the manifestos that the majority vote for...
#MakeVotesMatter @MakeVotesMatter
#MakeVotesMatter @MakeVotesMatter
In 2017, 54% voted for parties with manifestos that promised to stay in the Single Market regardless of whether we left the EU, and ruled out No-Deal.
We got a "No-Deal is better than a bad deal" government, hell bent on taking us out of the single market.
#MakeVotesMatter
We got a "No-Deal is better than a bad deal" government, hell bent on taking us out of the single market.
#MakeVotesMatter
The 2019 election was the only chance the country had to say whether the Brexit that the government had spent 3 years negotiating was actually the will of the people.
And again 52.7% voted manifestos stating NOT to leave on those terms without a 2nd referendum.
#MakeVotesMatter
And again 52.7% voted manifestos stating NOT to leave on those terms without a 2nd referendum.
#MakeVotesMatter
To any Lib Dems & Greens who are disappointed I joined the Labour Party,
My main aim is getting Labour to commit to electoral reform and an electoral pact.
So if I'm successful, then at the *following* election, your parties' votes will really count for the first time ever.
My main aim is getting Labour to commit to electoral reform and an electoral pact.
So if I'm successful, then at the *following* election, your parties' votes will really count for the first time ever.
I.e. It is the single best thing I could possibly do to support other opposition parties.
I'm enjoying watching those on the right lose their minds over this thread... Why?
Because THEY KNOW that if every UK citizen's vote had mattered equally in 2017 and 2019 Brexit simply wouldn't have happened.
(Lab/SNP/GRE/LIB >50% of the vote in both)
#MakeVotesMatter
Because THEY KNOW that if every UK citizen's vote had mattered equally in 2017 and 2019 Brexit simply wouldn't have happened.
(Lab/SNP/GRE/LIB >50% of the vote in both)
#MakeVotesMatter
Greens in Austria plan to form coalition govt with Conservatives. This shows the challenges thrown up by PR🤔A choice between blocking a far-right govt but accepting some nasty policies & agreeing #ClimateAction while sacrificing ideological purity [1/7] bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…
So, before defenders of FPTP jump up, let’s look at what Greens in govt means.
🚫Countering advances of the far-right
🇪🇺 Pro-European rather than anti-European (unlike last govt)
🌞Push to make Austria a pioneer on tackling the #ClimateEmergency [2/7]
🚫Countering advances of the far-right
🇪🇺 Pro-European rather than anti-European (unlike last govt)
🌞Push to make Austria a pioneer on tackling the #ClimateEmergency [2/7]
Specifically on #ClimateChange
✅Introducing a ‘climate check’ on all legislation
✅Investment of €2bn into local/regional transport
✅€3/day annual Austria-wide public transport ticket
✅Switch entire power supply to renewables by 2030 & end oil and coal in heating [3/7]
✅Introducing a ‘climate check’ on all legislation
✅Investment of €2bn into local/regional transport
✅€3/day annual Austria-wide public transport ticket
✅Switch entire power supply to renewables by 2030 & end oil and coal in heating [3/7]
Why are Labour not getting as much shit about Richmond Park as the LibDems are getting about Canterbury?
I agree that appointing a candidate after Tim Walker stood down is a wankish thing to do. But even before he stood down, Labour weren’t getting even a small fraction of the relentless grief for splitting the Remain vote in Richmond Park as the LibDems were getting for Canterbury
Hypothesis: anti-LibDem onslaught being amplified by tribalists (to maintain Labour as incumbent beneficiaries of two-party politics under FPTP) who have identified this as a wedge that will split off voters whose priority is anti-Brexit but who don’t have strong party loyalty
Thread: Why are Lib Dems stuck on 7-8% when both Labour & Tories so poor/extreme atm? Easy: under FPTP, vote often counts more if used negatively. 1/
You might be a natural supporter of Lib Dems or Greens or whoever- but know they have little chance of getting elected in yr constituency. 2/
So if you can’t get the MP or the govt you want, what do you do with your vote if you want to have some kind of impact? 3/
