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CFE Democracy the Additional Member System AMS VOTING IS EASY

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CFE Democracy the Additional Member System AMS VOTING IS EASY CFE Democracy The Additional Member System AMS VOTING IS EASY Voters place an “X” on the constituency ballot paper for the party/individual they want to voter for. Voters then place an “X” on the regional ballot paper for the party they want to vote for. Should be dead simple. 2 TYPES OF MSP E.G. MID SCOTLAND AND FIFE. Claire Baker, Annabelle Murdo Fraser, John Park, Lab Lab Ewing, SNP Con A Constituency MSP. Willie Rennie, Richard Simpson, Liz Smith, Con Lib Dem Lab Alex Rowley (Lab) Cowdenbeath Several Regional “list” MSPs. VOTERS CAN CHOOSE WHICH ONE THEY WISH TO ENGAGE WITH Claire Baker, Annabelle Murdo Fraser, John Park, Lab Lab Ewing, SNP Con A Constituency MSP. Willie Rennie, Richard Simpson, Liz Smith, Con Lib Dem Lab Helen Eadie (Lab) Cowdenbeath Or either of the Regional “list” MSPs. BETTER FOR SMALL PARTIES? The Scottish Greens have 2 MSPs. But the AMS is not always “good for small parties”. It depends on how popular they are. The ‘rainbow parliament’ of 2003 has failed to be replicated since. In 2011 the Greens were squeezed out by the rise of the SNP. The Scottish Socialists, who had 6 MSPS at one point, imploded as former leader Tommy Sheridan split from the party and was found guilty of perjury. BUT GOOD FOR THE SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES! Arguably, the AMS saved the Scottish Conservatives from political extinction. It is one of the great ironies of Scottish politics that the Conservatives originally opposed both the Scottish Parliament, and its voting system! In 1999, all 18 of the Conservatives MSPs were from the second, List vote. There were none elected from the FPTP constituencies In 2003, the Conservatives managed to have three MSPs elected from constituencies, but the other fifteen were from the second, List vote. In 2007, Only four of the 17 Conservative seats are from FPTP constituencies. In 2011, there was a slight decline in support, but still enough votes there to enable the Scottish Conservatives to be the 3rd largest party in the Scottish Parliament with 15 MSPs. BUT COALITIONS DON’T ALWAYS HAPPEN! Party Constituency Regional Total In 2011, for the first time since devolution, the MSPs MSPs SNP which won a record 69 seats, securing a majority of 3 over all the other combined (2007 figure in (2007 figure (2007 figure in brackets) in brackets) MSPs. brackets) This means that the SNP Scottish SNP 53 (21) 16 (26) 69 (47) Government no longer needs the support of other parties to pass legislation. Labour 15 (37) 22 (9) 37 (46) Politics is often full of ironies. Cons. 3 (4) 12 (13) 15 (17) In Scotland, a voting system designed to Lib 2 (11) 3 (5) 5 (16) produce coalitions, has produced a majority Dems government. In the UK, a voting system which traditionally Green 0 (0) 2 (2) 2 (2) delivers majorities, has produced a coalition government! Other 0 (0) 1(1) 1 (1) BUT, ARE THERE TURF WARS? MSP turf wars. Do List MSPs tread on the turf of constituency MSPs, who think of themselves as the real MSP? "Personally I would not weep any tears if the list system was done away with. I regard list MSPs as a breed, as an under-employed waste of space. They have no constituency, they have no role and they are not elected by anyone." Former Labour Minister, Brian Wilson ARE SOME VOTERS UNREPRESENTED? There are some voters in Scotland who, because of the AMS, find their views completely unrepresented. For example, if you voted SNP in Edinburgh North (12,263 did), you would have nobody elected who represented your views: your Malcom Chisholm, MSP, Constituency MSP would be Labour, Edinburgh North Labour (Malcolm Chisholm) left. There are no SNP List MSPs in the Lothians region, despite 110,953 people voting SNP. WHAT ABOUT “UNELECTED” MSPS? Should an MSP resign or die, the AMS does not allow for by-elections for List MSPs. So, the political party can choose whoever it wants to become the new MP. Someone who was never presented to the voters. In June 2013 the SNP’s Mark McDonald won the Aberdeen Donside by election held after the death of constituency SNP MSP Brian Adam. But Mr McDonald was already a SNP list MSP. He stood down in order to be elected as a constituency MSP. But he was replaced as a List MSP by the SNP’s Christian Allard. No election was required..
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