Dear Editor,
It was interesting to read (Oxford Times 30 March) that Oxford West & Abingdon MP Layla Moran is advocating tactical voting in May’s local elections in Oxfordshire. If we had a proportional voting system there would be no need for tactical voting as voters would be able to vote for their preferred candidate knowing that every vote would count towards parties having a proportionate and democratic number of elected councillors.
It would be the same at national government level. In the 2019 General Election under our current system of First Past the Post (FPTP), the Conservative government was elected on less than 50% of the vote, despite nearly a third of all voters voting tactically.
The UK is one of only a few countries across Europe still using FPTP, along with Belarus.
With Proportional Representation (PR) voters are represented, not misrepresented. It means almost everyone can have at least one local, accountable MP who they voted for and who shares their views, beliefs and values – someone who they can approach with their concerns and know they will be listened to.
On 13 April Layla Moran was in Oxford discussing PR with a range of speakers who have experiences about voting reform to share.
Name and address provided.
Ed: This is an updated version of a letter which appeared in the Oxford Times on 31 March 2023.
