Lib Dems are idealists- it’s one of the reasons I’m one if them. So why are we going to campaign for a non-ideal voting system? I’ll try to explain that here, but note I’m not going to explain the systems themselves; I’ll link to them as we go, though.

“Proportional Representation” (i.e. MMCSTV) is the ideal electoral system for the UK, according to us. It retains a modified constituency link, while providing a choice of advocate for any casework a constituent might need. It is also proportional to a finer granularity; although no constituency-based system is fully proportional. Finally, and most importantly, it means that people can vote for whichever party they want, regardless of where they live- since you can specify your preference for a minor party followed by whichever of the front runners you prefer, meaning that you might secure a single representative from your first preference, but if not, your view is still taken into account.

AV is less good. It is still based on single member constituencies; so all the advantages gained by having a choice of advocates are lost. The granularity is still wrong too- it can be just as disproportionate as FPTP. The bit of it that’s just as good as PR, the bit that is worth fighting for, is the freedom to vote for whoever you want.

Under an AV election in 2015, the British public will be, for the first time ever, asked whose policies they like best, not which of the parties who did well last time in their area they detest the least. For the first time, you won’t need dodgy graphs and made up statistics; local activists will be able to campaign on policy, not nonsense. For the first time, we’ll see in the first preference results how much the two ‘big’ parties have lost peoples’ trust since the 1950s.

Don’t let any pollster tell you “what would happen under AV” either. We have no idea how people would vote if they had a free choice, and no polling data exists for that territory.

AV is not ideal; but it does set people a little freer in the ballot box. It is half way there; multiple member constituencies are a natural next step in the 2015 parliament.

Come on idealistic Liberals, don’t despair because it’s not perfect, give people the freedom to vote for whoever they want.