WHY I'M SAYING NO TO AV .....

See the LRC website for more but here are my own personal thoughts on the matter......

Whatever happens on May 5, AV is not an issue I would die in a ditch for
However, ignoring the obvious temptation to just give the Lib Dems a bloody nose with a massive "No" vote, AV should be opposed for several reasons.
Firstly, it was none other than Nick Clegg who described it as a "miserable little conpromise."
It is not PR. It will not help minority parties like the Greens and those to the left of Labour get representation at Westminster. In fact, it will make it harder.
In strong Labour seats, the heartland constituencies, AV makes no difference at all.
In marginal seats, however, it is likely to lead to even more centrist politics with Labour candidates tempted to be all things to everyone to get over the 50 per cent threshold.
As the Electoral Reform Society says,it "rewards broad church policies."
On average, candidates who win under FPTP get 46 per cent of the vote anyway.
At the last election, AV would have given the Liberal Democrats 32 more seats and lost Labour 10 seats.No wonder they are in favour!
FPTP is by no means perfect but does mean that coalitions are less common..
It also sticks to the principle of ‘one person, one vote. .
AV, is only used in Papua, New Guinea and Australia, where voting is compulsory.
It is not particularly progressive.It is at best an irrelevance, and at worst a distraction from the real struggles people are facing in the face of this Government..
Liberal Democrats sold their souls to hold this bogus referendum with a bogus electoral change with little positive consequence for those facing cuts to services and job losses..
Let's not give them any credibility whatsoever. Vote No.