The Guardian backs Lib Dem emphasis on electoral reform

An editorial in The Guardian rightly focuses in on the importance of changing the voting system used for Westminster:

The Liberal Democrats, and their Liberal forebears, have consistently favoured the adoption of proportional representation; the Conservatives have consistently opposed any reform; and the Labour party has been consistently divided on the issue.

Labour is now promising House of Lords reform. This is a necessary but not a sufficient constitutional change to mend Britain’s broken politics. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, was right to say in a speech last month that the current electoral system “fuels the disillusionment that feeds extremism. Proportional representation can help tackle it … [Labour’s] Lords reform without Commons reform is like changing the tyres when the car’s on fire.” …

a different UK electoral system would engender cooperation between parties and a more pluralistic political culture, as well as ending the damaging Westminster obsession over marginal voters. For the country’s sake, it’s time to change a voting system built for the benefit of the two main parties.

Indeed it is.

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