UKC

The idea is now mooted for cross left wing party agreement to select one candidate to stand in constituency. This maybe a green candidate or labour candidate or other left wing party, even liberal democrat but not SNP as not interested . Stops split of left wing vote and right wing parties getting in with low overall vote but 1st past the post.

It suggests a level of policy/manifesto similarity between political parties and a high level of co-operation.

Hopefully PR and constitutional changes could be a common theme among some parties

Would help in Inverness.For instance Inverness I think would be a Green candidate v SNP v conservative given the MSP result.

Views on the general idea.....

In reply to MargieB:

It's a neat idea, but it would require a considerable majority of politicians to be more interested in policy than the party or, more significantly, their own personal advancement. Would you be able to find sufficient of them?

In reply to MargieB:

I think we would need to see actual policies before deciding whether its a good idea. "left wing" could mean anything from Liberal to Communist.

In reply to BnB:
Yes!!!! Circumstances are intense and may force people of similar policy to unite at least in not splitting their followers. I'm very often "split" at the time of voting, sharing some view of" various" parties.

In reply to MargieB:

>
2015 suggested that the English recoil at the idea of the SNP manipulating Labour. Not a vote winner for the latter.

In reply to MargieB:

How would it work in terms of running the country if it were to succeed? Would the SNP be able to whip the whole alliance into voting for a second indyref for example?

In reply to RyanOsborne:
I can't see SNP in this agreement. It is the common ground of Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat and each constituency has a particular bias to choose it's dominant voter attraction.

Once elected there could be block left-wing voting on issues.

A lot of major issues are fixed eg Brexit and we had the independence vote .

SNP are not going to be party to this as they could still win a heavy majority if independence was a really important issue for the electorate in Scotland and they believe this is still the case {personally I don't think so - it's dellusional but they can still have a go and will do so as their belief is strong }.

{I believe there are some ostriches loose in a Scottish Village- possibly some scottish constituences have this problem of Ostriches burying their heads in the sand too and will lose a general election from lack of will, letting in parties of the furthest edges of political opinion by default}.

In reply to Postmanpat:


interesting edit there.

In reply to MargieB:


Labour can't even do this within its own party at the moment, there is no hope.

In reply to MargieB:


Done properly I think it's the only way we will ever achieve meaningful electoral reform and that's assuming they run on a pledge of implementing PR within one parliament. I don't think they'll be able to pull it off. To many people's hopes and ambitions need to be put on hold, too many big egos in play, too many policy differences need to be smoothed over and in may cases it'll be fairly ineffective anyway as plenty of voters will not consider (or even understand the point in) voting for the 'left/reform' candidate rather than their usual colour and plenty will vote right of their preferred center ground rather than see the greens or a left leaning Labour in power.

I think it's a good idea doomed to fail.
jk

In reply to KevinD:


Yup! Bit aggressive

In reply to KevinD:




Erm?...... Edit? what Edit? Surely your post just requotes what Postmanpat originally posted without any changes?

In reply to silhouette:


I think my original was a bit sarcastic so when I reviewed it I took out the sarcasm.

In reply to Tyler:


Exactly, it's a pipedream, a lovely one but a pipedream nonetheless.....

In reply to silhouette:


the postie had gone the whole hog originally but then reined it in a bit.

In reply to MargieB:


Won't need to, as JC will lead the country on to a more moral, caring society, bringing back public transport, a proper NHS and the steel industry. The land of milk and honey is but an election away.

In reply to krikoman:

Don't forget free school milk, an end to tuition fees, free maintenance grants to anyone who needs one and NHS recruitment drives in the Caribbean.

Given JC's policy on Trident I wouldn't be surprised if we'll see Concorde Mk II as well.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:



All good points, I'll put them forward for consideration.

In reply to MargieB:

Will the "People's Front of Judea" join in with the "Judean People's Front", and hold hands with "New Judea" and "Liberal Green Judea"?

In reply to Big Ger:

Good one!

In reply to Postmanpat:
This is interesting because this English recoil and fear of the SNP is lacking the real understanding of the situation in Scotland which is that the Union parties of left wing disposition are so fragmented that they cannot beat the SNP in a first past the post situation. This is why, in theory I like the idea of a general election that is basically a fight between these ideas with one candidate representing each position.

Union left wing party with PR and anti austerity agenda versus Independence anti-austerity left wing party {SNP] versus Union austerity Conservative

Will the English Labour, English Liberal democrats, English Greens understand that by not co-operating they are in fact pushing a default type of politics in Scotland and will get what they fear by not acting...

Even in England, say Brighton, Labour spends a lot of energy fighting Green - and there is an overall Conservative majority in government.....

In reply to MargieB:

I've been out canvassing for the Scottish Greens on the Black Isle in the past. All of us joined together still wouldn't beat the SNP. Independence is an important issue for people (me included) and that came across strongly from discussing with people on the doorstep.

In reply to KevinD:

Thanks for clarifying.

In reply to MargieB:


I am not really clear about where the SNP sits in your proposal (?). As far as I can tell (from Wiltshire) the SNP has no need to form alliances or do deals with anyone in Scotland, so the SNP provides a block of "left wing" MPs to Westminster.
My point is that if any English/Welsh party allies with the SNP they alienate a large number of voters. If they don't make an alliance then I question whether even if all the other parties of the left did some sort of deal they would provide enough seats for a majority.

As others have pointed out, the Labour party itself is falling apart because it consists of a spectrum from neoliberal "wets" to unreconstructed Marxists. Further broadening or complicating that spectrum seems like a recipe for greater disaster.

In reply to ring ouzel:

I voted green and discussed the level of divided views within the green party at the stall in town re independence.
So maybe Caroline Lucas who wants a PR system resonates with some of us who did vote Green for our regional MSP.

Though I must admit you are now throwing in the Monty Pythonesque scenario mentioned above by BigGer...

See how this floats.

In reply to ring ouzel:
May I respond by quoting the statstics for the Highlands in the Scottish Independence referendum- 53.42% said No and 46.58% said Yes.

So for this constituency of ours there is a substantial number of people who might not vote SNP in a general election and so it is this group that is failed substantially by the 1st past the post structure in Westminster general elections.

And it is unknown how people may now prioritise or not the issue of independence. So the last General election results may or may not be repeated and I feel have little relevance in any up-coming general election as issues have vastly moved on and it is impossible to judge the electorate's response.


I'm interested in being presented with a ballot paper that doesn't give me three choices for substantially the same view, as a none card carrying plain simple voter.

Anyone else?

Would it suit your constituency if it is evenly balanced in its political leanings like this constituency?

I also think Theresa May will call a General Election soon.

In reply to MargieB:




Sounds good - I think the problem is not the similarity of the 3 main tickets - it's the fact that voting for 4 or 5 has no chance of effect.


I think it would in the SW of England mathematically. The Lib Dems got gubbed by the Torries last time around, adding in some labour and green voters would make them competitive in the rural seats where labour would struggle more.

The real problem is getting them to agree to just implement change ( to the Scottish electoral system?) and not bugged about with more referenda.


Not until she has all of her ducks lined up on brexit.

In reply to BnB:

In relation to the current crop of MPs, I'd be amazed if you found one of them.

In reply to Postmanpat:


That was before Corbyn was elected leader, from where they are now getting manipulated by the SNP might be a winner.