‘Call me Dave’ launched the ‘no’ campaign for the AV referendum with a quite disgraceful speech on Friday. The condescending way he regarded the electorate spoke volumes about his patrician leanings and his arrogance. As Andrew Rawnsley made clear in the Observer today, he too found this view unpalatable.
“The no campaign in general has almost nothing to say which is positive about the status quo. Its arguments are negative ones against change.”
“The worst argument advanced in the prime minister's speech was that AV is too complicated. He said: "I don't think we should replace a system that everyone gets with one that's only understood by a handful of elites."
“Well, let us accept that numbering candidates 1, 2, 3 does require a slightly more advanced level of numeracy than simply making a cross. I think Britain will cope. Many Britons already use AV when electing representatives for charities, churches, companies, trade unions, societies and voluntary organisations. Labour and the Lib Dems both elect their leaders by AV. Funnily enough, ever since the 1960s, when the Tories started to elect their leaders, they have used either AV or a close cousin. Had they used first past the post in their last contest, the leader of the Tory party would not be David Cameron. It would be David Davis.” (my emphases).
Clearly if the extremely thick Bufton-Tuftons on the Tory back benches can cope with AV then anyone can. Looking at the dinosaurs and expense-fiddlers who are in favour of the status quo (Beckett, Blunkett, Straw, Clarke anyone?) massive reform is overdue. AV is not it - but it is a step in a better direction.
“Does the campaign to keep first past the post think that most Britons are stupid? Yes.
Not only that, they are relying on the stupid vote to win.”
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