News
What new Parliament would look like under proportional representation
THE Electoral Reform Society has modelled what the new parliament would look like after the general election under proportional representation.
The modelling shows what Parliament would look like under the Additional Member System (AMS) [1] of proportional representation (PR), which is used for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments as well as the London Assembly, compared to the results under the current Westminster system of First Past the Post (FPTP)
| Vote share | AMS – MPs | FPTP – MPs | |
| Labour | 33.7% | 236 | 412 |
| Conservatives | 23.7% | 157 | 121 |
| Reform | 14.3% | 94 | 5 |
| Lib Dems | 12.2% | 77 | 71 |
| Greens | 6.8% | 42 | 4 |
| SNP | 2.5% | 18 | 9 |
| Plaid | 0.7% | 4 | 4 |
A visual representation of how the results would look for PR compared to the First Past the Post results can be found here https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/18633267/
The Parliament elected under PR would far more closely reflect the way the country voted. It could lead to a number of scenarios politically, and likely lead to a government that represented a far greater share of voters. For instance, a Labour, Lib Dem, Green coalition under AMS would represent 52.7% of voters, rather than the just 33.7% represented by the Labour majority government.
In the coming weeks the Electoral Reform Society will also be releasing a model of the 2024 General Election result under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system of PR, which is the ERS’s preferred system and used in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The model comes after the general election produced the most disproportional parliament in British electoral history.
The results saw the Labour Party win 64% of seats (412) with just under 34% of the votes. Meanwhile, Reform UK and the Green Party won just 9 seats (just over 1%) between them with over 20% of the vote share combined.
Research by the Electoral Reform Society also showed that Labour won an MP for every 24,000 votes they received, compared to one for every 49,000 for the Lib Dems, one MP for every 56,000 votes for the Conservatives, one for every 485,000 votes for the Greens and one for every 820,000 for Reform.
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society said: “The job of Parliament is to represent the way the country voted. However, this election has produced the most disproportional result in British electoral history.
“This is because of the distorting Westminster First Past the Post voting system, which means the seats parties get in Parliament often are not matching the share of the votes they’ve received.
“In simple terms, people should get what they vote for. Our modelling shows what Parliament would look like with a fairer proportional voting system such the ones used for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
“It’s time we moved to a fairer proportional voting system for Westminster so Parliament accurately reflects the way the country voted.”
Crime
Kilgetty scaffolder sentenced after driving with cocaine and in system
Judge imposes three-year ban and unpaid work
A PEMBROKESHIRE scaffolder who was caught driving with a cocktail of drugs in his system has been sentenced by a judge sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
Jordan Whalley, 26, was seen driving his Ford Fiesta at excessive speed on the A478 near Begelly on October 3. A roadside drugs wipe tested positive, and subsequent blood analysis showed he had 36 mcg of cocaine, 240 mcg of benzoylecgonine, and 152 mcg of ketamine in his system.
Whalley, of Ryelands Lane, Kilgetty, pleaded guilty this week to three counts of drug-driving.
Probation officer Julie Norman told the court: “He’d been to a party the day before and thought the drugs would be out of his system by the following day.”
District Judge Mark Layton banned Whalley from driving for 36 months and ordered him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.
Crime
Johnston woman banned for three years after late-night drug-drive stop
Previous drink-drive conviction triggered extended disqualification
A 54-YEAR-OLD woman has been banned from the roads for three years after being caught drug-driving on the main road through Johnston.
Julie Meehan was stopped by officers in the early hours of July 25 as she drove her Ford Fiesta along the A4076. A roadside drugs wipe returned a positive result, and subsequent blood analysis recorded 8 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. The legal limit is 2 mcg.
Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Meehan, of Silverdale Lodge, Johnston, had a previous drink-driving conviction within the last ten years, meaning her driving ban was subject to an automatic extension.
District Judge Mark Layton banned Meehan for a total of three years. She was also fined £120, ordered to pay £85 costs, and a £48 surcharge.
Crime
Housing site director sentenced after failing to provide breath sample following crash
Driver found on rugby supporters’ bus after Range Rover spun out of control
A PEMBROKESHIRE housing and development site director has been sentenced after failing to provide a breath specimen when his Range Rover spun out of control and crashed into the central reservation near Haverfordwest.
Jason Greggain, 47, was seen driving erratically shortly before 8:30pm on September 28, with witnesses reporting the vehicle overtaking another car before hitting surface water and spinning out of control.
“A call was made to police saying that a Range Rover had been seen overtaking another vehicle and driving erratically,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week. “The vehicle was then seen spinning out of control.”
When officers arrived, the driver was nowhere to be found. Greggain was later located inside a white bus heading to a local rugby match, where he had been taken after the collision.
Greggain provided a positive roadside breath test, but once taken to Haverfordwest police station he refused to provide a further breath or blood specimen for analysis.
He pleaded guilty to the offence. His solicitor, Samuel Jenkins, told District Judge Mark Layton that Greggain’s refusal was not an attempt to evade justice, but stemmed from his belief that he should speak to a solicitor first.
Mr Jenkins said the collision occurred after Greggain aquaplaned while being followed by a coach returning from a rugby game.
“An ambulance arrived at the scene and conveyed Mr Greggain to the bus parked a short distance away,” he added. “When he got onto the bus, he was offered two bottles of beer, hence him being over the limit. Normally, he only drinks on special occasions.”
Judge Layton imposed a 12-month community order, requiring Greggain to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 20 months and must pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.
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