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The Top-Up must be put downGo to model resolutionThe Scottish and Welsh elections showed that PR has nothing to do with enhancing democracy and everything to do with effectively abolishing the Labour Party by fusing it with the LibDems. The outcome in both countries was to maximise the influence of the LibDems, the party which came fourth. In Scotland in particular, the Scottish parliamentary leadership formed a coalition with the LibDems without any consultation of rank and file members. It seems that the only ‘partnership in power’ that will count will be between Labour and LibDem leaders, a partnership in which radical policies bite the dust without reference to party or voters. To replicate this nationally would end any prospect of making Labour more democratic. Party Conference decisions and even National Policy Forum reports would count for nothing since policies would be renegotiated behind closed doors after the election. The Labour Party would make way for a Liberal-Labour entity, in which the leadership decides everything. Our suggested contemporary resolution draws attention to the way in which Labour would have achieved thumping majorities in Scotland and Wales had we stuck with First Past the Post. As it was, our majorities were overturned by the ‘Top-Up’ system of PR, a system which also lies at the heart of Lord Jenkins’ proposal for Westminster. ‘Top-up’ systems lend themselves to selection of candidates by the leadership rather than by the membership, as vividly illustrated by the European Parliament selections as well as those in Scotland and Wales.
The Party is currently in the midst of a consultation on the Jenkins proposal and our resolution would allow Conference to contribute to the consultation process. If carried, this will make it clear to the leadership that, as far as the Party is concerned, the Jenkins proposal is dead. The 'Top-up' must be put down! Model resolution"This Conference notes that the consultation exercise on the Jenkins Report is currently in progress and that all sections of the party are being asked to express their opinions. Given the outcome of the recent elections in Scotland, Wales and for the European Parliament, Conference believes that it should express a view on the desirability of further changes in the electoral system and that this view should be considered as a submission to the consultative process. Conference notes that the elections for both the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly involved a 'Top-Up' system similar to that advocated by Lord Jenkins for the House of Commons. Conference further notes that in Scotland and Wales Labour secured very respectable overall majorities on the first (constituency based First-Past-the-Post) vote, but that these majorities were then overturned by the second (Jenkins-type Top-Up) vote. In Scotland Labour's 53-20 overall majority on the first (FPTP) vote was overturned by the Opposition parties' 53-3 victory on the second (Top-Up) vote. In Wales Labour's 27-13 (FPTP) majority was reversed by the Opposition's 19-1 majority in the Top-Up seats. Conference does not accept that this outcome represents anenhancement of democracy. In view of the adverse effect of Lord Jenkins' proposed changes on the ability of Labour and to retain power and to gain majority Labour governments in the future, Conference believes that the electoral system proposed by Lord Jenkins is totally inappropriate for the election of the House of Commons." |
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