Local perspectives would be lost with island-wide voting

Firstly, do we really want IWV to sweep away all organised, local-level political representation? Some believe that issues arising from local perspectives deserve to be represented, because they are some of the most genuine and heartfelt issues, that directly affect personal and working lives in a local area, and are often best understood by local people. And yet, by removing the current system of local representation, IWV would make it far harder for the local perspective to be heard.

Another question. Do we think that local perspective is over represented, and the current system not ‘global’ enough for the modern politics of big business and long-term governmental planning? If so, IWV would be a ‘corrective’ for this. Without the local voting districts, a far lower proportion of votes would be awarded on the basis of local representation, so there would be far less incentive for deputies to argue the local perspective or champion local issues. Removal of the deputies’ special mandates to serve particular local districts would dilute their political influence on local matters. Loss of the local district organisation would make it more difficult for the public to find a deputy willing and able to represent a particular local issue, and also harder for such deputies to find allies. In short, under IWV, the voice of local community perspective would be much diminished, while the global perspectives of government and large business receive more attention and less local opposition.

If IWV is still sounding like an attractive option, let us draw some conclusions about its likely consequences. Local representation would become marginalised, while the perspectives of government and those who have its ear go ever more unchallenged. For those who want less opposition to certain government strategies, or for those in government who want more control, perhaps this is the attraction of IWV. After all, heartfelt issues stemming from local, grassroots perspectives can, at times, be stubborn and troublesome for government, so diminishing their representation would make sense. Equally, though, IWV would favour those who would like their favourite politician to have more power in a more populist style of politics, possibly with parties.

ANDREW LEE.