Fair Voting System And The Poll Tax

EDM number 142 in 1990-91, proposed by Ray Michie on 29/11/1990.

That this House notes that in order to ensure that their Leader has the mandate and authority to lead a united party,the Conservatives rely on proportional representation if no candidate receives a majority; believes that the House of Commons should also be elected by a proportional representation system to ensure that Her Majesty's Government has the mandate and authority to govern a united country; further notes that if such a system had operated in 1987,England would have 242 Conservative, 158 Labour, 123 Liberal and Social Democrat Members of Parliament,Scotland 18 Conservative,30 Labour,15 Liberal and Social Democrat and nine Scottish National Party Members of Parliament and Wales 11 Conservative, 18 Labour, seven Liberal and Social Democrat and two Plaid Cymru Members of Parliament;recalls that one of the prime reasons for the introduction of the poll tax was the ability of unrepresentative and extremist Labour councils elected under `first past the post' to push rates up for political reasons; and further believes that had a fair voting system existed not only would national and local government be more representative and effective, but there would have been no poll tax either.

This motion has been signed by a total of 11 MPs.