Britain’s two-party political system isn’t working

[Judi Lynn]

Britain’s two-party political system isn’t working

Steve Hilton

Voters are disillusioned with a malfunctioning democracy. The system must change so independent candidates have a fair chance of election

Wednesday 20 April 2016 02.00 EDT

The debates prompted by the Panama Papers, while usefully illuminating the extraordinary corruption of many foreign leaders, may have distracted us from the real problem in Britain. Unlike in Russia or China, the corruption in British politics does not stem from those in power abusing their position for personal enrichment. Instead, it comes from the structure of our decaying political system. Propped up by money from vested interests, the rigid two-party straitjacket has left the UK with a malfunctioning democracy and led to widespread public disillusionment.

It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s clear that people are looking for a new kind of politics that goes beyond traditional party lines: a politics first and foremost of engagement and transparency, not reducible to the old left-right divide.

After leaving David Cameron’s staff and moving to California in 2012, I founded a tech startup – Crowdpac – to give American voters the tools and information to help build a better democracy, and now we’re bringing the site to the UK. My background may be on the right of politics but this is not a party-political endeavour, and will be led by one of Britain’s leading leftwing campaigners Paul Hilder (previously of 38 Degrees, Change.org, the Labour party and other movements).

Change is long overdue. In the 1950s, politics was simpler. Workers voted Labour, the middle class and the wealthy voted Conservative. About 90% of votes went to one of these two parties. But by 2015, the combined total had dropped to just over two-thirds. Voters today are searching for new options beyond the two-party model.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/20/britain-two-party-political-system-voters-democracy-election

[Ironing Man]

1. advertising twaddle...

the UK doesn't have a two party political system, it has a lots of parties political system - four big, established parties stand in pretty much every single parliamentary constituancy, five in Scotland, and in the 2015 general election one of those parties, that had held around 60 seats and was part of the governing coalition was wiped out and replaced by another of the parties with nearly 60 seats.

amusing, the article even says that the UK doesn't have a two party system as it notes that a full third of the electorate vote for parties other than the big two - and the big two are only the big two because they attract the most votes. interestingly, in Scotland, the big two aren't the big two, which kind of puts the boot into the two party stem idea...

has Steve Hilton got something to sell?

[T_i_B]

2. We had a 3 party system prior to the Lib Dem's destruction

Now it's two main parties in England, with UKIP bringing up the rear in many places. 🙁

And then there's Scotland, which is currently dominated by the SNP. 🙁