Martin,

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All that the referendum on AV has done is to allow people who oppose electoral reform because their chosen party does well out of the current system, to say that the country doesn't want electoral reform.

The more I think about AV the worse it sounds. I have been thinking about one aspect recently. If the first count is inconclusive the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and the alterative votes of the people who voted for them are then used in a second count. Who usually comes bottom, weirdo candidates including the BNP. So people who vote for parties like the Monster Raving Loony Party and the BNP will have their second preferences taken into account....OMG

Well if we have a democracy then they have a right to have their second choice counted instead just as I have the right to have my (more sensible  ) second choice counted if my first choice is not in the majority.