‘UK voting system unfair’

A London-based political commentator believes that the voting system in the UK is unfair as it fails to truly represent political parties in the parliament.

“The existing voting system produces some extraordinary unfair results. For example, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) which wants to withdraw from Europe it has about 13 percent of the people are going to vote for it but it is expected that it may not get even one seat.  It may get one seat, but it may get no seats, no, and the reason is that UKIP’s vote is spread very thinly throughout the UK Population. It is about 10% in seats in constituency after constituency after constituency. Now contrast the Scottish National Party (SNP). The Scottish National Party (SNP), it’s only got about 4% of those who are going to vote and yet that same Scottish National Party will get roughly round about 46 seats which is about I suppose about 8%  of the seats,” Professor Rodney Shakespeare told Press TV on Tuesday.

His comments came against the backdrop of a new survey by an international polling agency which shows that a majority of Britons want electoral reform

According to a poll conducted by ORB, 61 percent of British people believe that the voting system should be changed. They say the electoral reform is necessary to ensure a better representation for smaller parties in the parliament.

Back in 2011, Britons voted by 68% to 32%in a referendum against a switch to the alternative vote system.

But the new poll which was carried out between May 1-3 suggests that the situation has changed.

“I do think that the situation is changing and there is therefore going to be another opportunity for a smaller party making some forms of a coalition government, some sort of a political deal to ask that the British people be asked whether they again whether they want to have a reformed voting system in which the percentage of people voting roughly then corresponds with the number of seats that they get in the parliament," Professor Rodney Shakespeare concluded.

A new poll suggests that Britain’s main political parties, Labour and Conservative, remain neck-and-neck in the race to the Westminster.

Thursday’s vote is seen as the most unpredictable election in recent decades.

With neither party expected to win an overall majority to form a government, Britain is heading towards a hung parliament amid rising concerns over uncertainty about the country's future in the European Union as well as its economic policy.

HA/HH

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk