Petition: No more one-party councils: We demand a fair voting system for local elections

I had a number of chats overnight with people from all the parties (except Ukip) at the local elections count at the Civic Centre about the voting system for local elections. Even some Labour activists, despite their euphoria over the results, recognised that the final result (excluding the three councilors still to be elected in Willesden Green) of 50 Labour and three Tories did not match the proportion of the vote each party gained.

The  Electoral Reform Soicety has an on-line petition which may interest readers. You can sign it HERE

This is the commentary on the petition:

England’s voting system is bust. Millions of votes are cast aside, while people feel forced to vote for a ‘lesser evil’ and parties are handed huge, unwarranted majorities.

We demand a change in the voting system for local elections in England and Wales – so that results reflect how people actually vote. Scottish local elections use a proportional voting system.

Northern Ireland has used a fair and proportional system for local elections for decades – and in 2007 Scotland joined them.Wales will soon be giving councils the right to choose. Now it's time England caught up.

It’s time for a proportional system where no one has to ‘hold their nose’ at the ballot box, and where there is healthy competition – rather than a politics of ‘one-party states’ and uncontested fiefdoms.

We call on party leaders to back real reform. Britain deserves a democracy where votes aren’t thrown on the electoral scrapheap – but where there is real choice and where our voices are always heard.