Editor:
Re: “Ready for a referendum on how you vote?” (Dec. 29).
No person of any critical facility would endeavour to argue an exceptionally hot day as proof of global warming, nor a cool one as disproof. Similarly would they argue that an outlier, such as Belgium’s one-time example, as proof of long time delays in forming government as an inevitable consequence of PR.
The average number of days it’s taken for PR countries in Western Europe to form government is 40. By contrast it took B.C. 52 days to at last settle on stable government that could withstand a confidence motion. Not to mention the fact that our Westminster brand of parliamentary system has one thing the outlier countries did not – the Queen’s representative, whose duty it is to ensure that a government is formed and failing that to call new elections. That, in itself, would be incentive enough for the most recalcitrant of parties to work towards consensus in a timely manner.
If you believe everyone and their vote should be equal, you should believe in PR.
John Claxton, Gibsons
