Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Harringay Voters Amongst Least 'Powerful' Voters in the UK

A website set up by the New Econmoics Foundation shows that the votes of people voting in Harringay are in the bottom 5% of votes in terms of counting towards the result of the general election

The website lets voters check to what extent their vote matters in the context of Britain's first past the post system.

NEF say;

In the 2010 election, more than half of all voters voted against their winning MP.

Their votes simply didn't count.

In the UK, the only voters with any real power to choose the government are those who live in marginal constituencies.

Indeed, voters in the most powerful 10% of constituencies will wield more than 30 times as much power as the least influential.

The rest of us have little or no power to influence the outcome of the election.

In fact, statistical analysis by the NEF (the new economics foundation) shows that one person in the UK does not have one vote... ...it's more like 0.30 votes.

In some ultra safe constituencies the value of your vote falls to practically zero. Find out how powerful your vote is in this general election.

Link: voterpower.org.uk

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Permalink Reply by JJ B on May 10, 2015 at 13:16

Labour is a shoe in here in Tottenham. That's why the area is in such a state. They treat us with total contempt.

Really depressing that more people voted for them as I can't see what they are offering us, especially our uninspiring MP!

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Permalink Reply by Isidoros on April 25, 2015 at 10:34

By the same token Hugh in the other half of Haringey (Hornsey & Woog Green) the voters have a disproportionate power. There is a clear choice; either you vote for someone who would be an extra vote for a Conservative/LibDem/UKIP/DUP government or for someone who would be an extra vote for a Labour/SNP/PlaidCymru/Green government. The seat is as marginal as they come (therefore every single vote could count) and the national situation seems to also be as marginal as they come (therefore every MP we choose could count).

As regards the PR debate, AV is anything but. Indeed it is probably the most unrepresentative of all systems in that it is the least likely to produce the representatives that most people would want (ie in that even if most people think you are the best candidate , you could still loose to someone less convincing bnecause all the others gang up against you).

No system is perfect, they all have their shortcomings. But with honesty and good will one could tweek it to minimize the risk of negatives and maximise the positives. PR is probably the most promising of the systems we may devise in our circumstances in this country, but ... the devil would be in the detail and it would be very hard to control those who for narrow, tribal party motives would try again to highjack the debate and distort its principles.

Isidoros

(Labour councillor - Tottenham Green)

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Permalink Reply by JJ B on April 25, 2015 at 19:52

"who for narrow, tribal party motives would try again to highjack the debate and distort its principles."

Sadly, we in Tottenham face this narrowmindedness from The current Labour. Regime. The place is suffering from ineptitude and the intellectuel corruption and bankruptcy of those in charge.

The only argument that Lammy could put forward at the hustings..."vote for me to get the Tories out"! Astoundingly shallow.

Can't vote for a party that is proposing Ed Balls as the person in charge of matters important. Am desperately seeking alternatives on the left. I don't see much on offer from Labour....sadly.

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Permalink Reply by JJ B on April 25, 2015 at 19:57

And what is this nonsense that all council meetings stop due to purdah? These are parliamentary elections not local ones. Should we hold our breaths as well?

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 25, 2015 at 20:09

Here's the Local Government Assoc guidance on election purdah.

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Permalink Reply by JJ B on April 26, 2015 at 11:36

Thanks Hugh but the guidelines are OTT since there are no meetings taking place that involve HC and reidents groups for 40 days. These are parliamentary elections and life goes on. 10 percent of the year is wasted, not taking into consideration that they'll need time aftevthe elections to set things in train.

Should we hold our breath?