this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
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UK Politics

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The only justification for not doing this is protectionism. Starmer is placing party above country. We can see how damaging the Tories are. I do not want to see their likes again.

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[–] Jackthelad 4 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I support PR, but I remember telling people on the left about how PR would have meant UKIP getting a bunch of seats in 2015.

Suddenly, they weren't so keen on it.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Getting UKIP into parliament would have been great! First, the numpties who votes for them would feel represented. That is a good thing. Second, we could have ignored them instead of the tories feeling threatened by them to a point of swinging towards Brexit. Thirdly, their lack of platform (other than “EU bad”) would have been made public.

This is how extreme, fringe parties die - sunlight is the best disinfectant.

[–] Jackthelad 6 points 11 months ago

Well, quite.

Remember when Nick Griffin of the BNP went on Question Time? Obviously more extreme than UKIP, but after he got completely trounced, the BNP ceased to be a political force.

You don't defeat ideas by banning or "cancelling" or whatever. You do it by arguing the other side and highlighting the inadequacies of your opponent's ideas. Trying to silence them gives them more credence.

[–] Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow 1 points 11 months ago

Yeah our UKIP is called One Nation in Australia and they have never gotten enough of the vote to wield any significant power.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Instead we got the Tories. FPTP has allowed a fascist government in. There is no getting away from that.

[–] Jackthelad -4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Err... It would have been a Con-UKIP coalition under PR.

Also, your argument for PR isn't going to be very successful if it's based purely on trying to keep a party out.

Also, don't go for the tedious "fascist" label. We're not on Twitter here.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It is FPTP that gives us regressive right wing governments.

Same in the USA.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Yer I know, but I think we in the UK have more hope of sorting our system.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

We've had a Conservative-ukip coalition since 2015. With PR the progressive parties would have had enough power to quickly nip the Conservatives insanity in the bud.

[–] HonoraryMancunian 8 points 11 months ago

Leftie here

I'm for it, regardless