OUR electoral system has passed its sell-by date, I think it needs radical reform from beginning to end.

Selecting candidates for election should be a process that is transparent, fair, vigorous, have wide democratic credibility and not be founded on ideology. Successful candidates are paid from the public purse so the selection process should be based on merit and be publicly and legally accountable.

Wider democratic participation is urgently needed, it is time to stop talking about how to involve the young or the disconnected voters, we need action which encourages them to vote.

Politicians themselves need to confront their poor brand image before we can look to use technology which I believe would be the way to engage non-voters. Computers and mobile phones are in constant use to communicate, pay bills, shop and bank, so what’s the problem with using them to vote. Reforming elections would send out a message that decision takers really do care about voting apathy, the crocodile-tears from those in power fools nobody.

The media and political tribe’s focus on marginal constituencies is a direct consequence of the unfair first-past-the-post system, we need to change it so that voters in safe seats do not feel their vote was a complete waste of time.

In addition, there is plenty of evidence following the last election that FPTP is a bankrupt way of choosing our elected representatives, just look at some results in Wales. Plaid with 12.1 per cent of the votes returned three MPs, the Liberals with 6.5 per cent got one MP but Ukip with 13.6 per cent have no MPs. I no longer support any political party but I can see that this outcome is ridiculous and undemocratic.

The new UK government was elected by 36.9 per cent of the 66 per cent who bothered to vote. An analysis by the Electoral Reform Society shows of the 31 million people who voted on May 7, 19 million of them (a lot more than half) voted for losing candidates. That’s what we call democracy.

Dennis Harkus

FocusBARRY Member