tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post619563622229985489..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: Where it all went wrong: five key mistakes of the Yes to AV campaignTom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-24271510289427260862011-05-10T12:34:22.044+01:002011-05-10T12:34:22.044+01:00We should consider that the Yes to AV campaign fai...We should consider that the Yes to AV campaign failed because AV is a pretty rubbish system?<br /><br />AV has given us Ed Miliband and the promise of a lot more Liberal Democrats in power. Maybe AV failed because the results are unsatisfactory?<br /><br />The anti politics campaign was every bit as bad as any of the dirty tricks used by the No campaign. To suggest that the expenses scandal could have been avoided with AV or that AV could be used to punish the MP's was misleading at best.Ceriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15723496933089021032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-55135377474482289842011-05-10T11:49:04.262+01:002011-05-10T11:49:04.262+01:00I didn't vote.
I could have been persuaded by...I didn't vote.<br /><br />I could have been persuaded by Nigel Farage, even though I'm not UKIP, he has a way of getting to the heart of the problem quickly.<br /><br />Even though I decided not to vote, I found myself hating the Yes campaign because it came over as an awful pile of whiny "progressive" bullshit.Billy Blofeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02973682006107803539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-50118678133380012192011-05-08T23:03:54.724+01:002011-05-08T23:03:54.724+01:00Having politicians in the "Yes to AV" ca...Having politicians in the "Yes to AV" campaign was a big mistake. <br />The pro-AV activists should have stated that it was a matter of immense importance to the people. <br />So important that politicians could not be trusted. <br /><br />If we ever have a referendum again on changing the voting system: <br />Present it as a People's Charter. <br />Keep the Establishment out of it. <br />Point out that the Church and the State are separate for a very good reason so, likewise, amendments to the election system should not be influenced by politicians and media owners.Gonzolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17011176937381625939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-38441042845113678742011-05-08T22:23:19.218+01:002011-05-08T22:23:19.218+01:00People were not voting based on which campaign the...People were not voting based on which campaign they liked the most; they were choosing between two voting systems.<br /><br />The referendum result wasn't a defeat for the yes campaign or a victory for the no campaign, it was the rejection of alternative vote.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-85199292849304065662011-05-08T21:58:53.047+01:002011-05-08T21:58:53.047+01:00I did find it striking that the talk of consensus ...I did find it striking that the talk of consensus politics was somewhat undermined by politicians striking party lines - I seem to remember Labour's "Yes" campaign having a party political piece on using it to punish Cameron... not likely to endear you to those Conservatives who were AV-minded or on the fence.<br /><br />In addition there was the spectre of Ed Miliband refusing to share a stage with Nick Clegg, Tim Farron using his speech to have a dig at Thatcher and secure his own position amongst LibDems. It encouraged the suspicion that the 'consensus' was all talk and not understood in practice.Phil Rusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13040474351783645703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-11757356458720766732011-05-08T21:57:05.528+01:002011-05-08T21:57:05.528+01:00Agree with a lot of what you say. If I'd have ...Agree with a lot of what you say. If I'd have been on your side would have made this about Cameron much more, that would have helped with Labour voters. No campign was worried that putting Cameron up-front too much would put off Labour voters, much better to have him standing next to Reid. I think the anti-politics message could have worked better, our focus group stuff said it was an issue with voters, but I don't think pro-politics people can do anti-politics, think about it, your anti-politics message was we'll make politicians do more politics, doesn't smell right. Cost was deadly effective, because it rang true. Change always costs more in most people's experience. Yes had no message that resonated with Tory voters, that was very stupid. From the outset we knew we had to get 40% of Labour voters onside or we lost. So much for a progressive majority.Guido Fawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15091277669318213298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-90757421601172449662011-05-08T21:26:03.714+01:002011-05-08T21:26:03.714+01:00The AV referendum was idiotic from start to finish...The AV referendum was idiotic from start to finish. How they thought it possible to sell something to the public that nobody including those in favour of voting reform is beyond me.<br /><br />To suggest that reform of the voting system was a panacea for the corruption of British MPs was inane. Changing someones terms of employment does not make them LESS likely to be corrupt. <br /><br />The really fatal mistake they made was to hold a referendum on a single issue. <br /><br />The elephant in the room of political reform is the governance of England in light of devolution to the other home nations. <br /><br />I as an English Nationalist and many other people like me who voted no would have been more amenable to voting yes if a Constitutional Convention for England had preceded it. <br /><br />A package deal would have had far more appeal and commanded greater support I suspect. <br /><br />Clegg and the Lib Dems overplayed their hand badly especially in light of their betrayal of English students.FloTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17869774332551536232noreply@blogger.com