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Get rid of list MSPs

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
OMG, Brian Donohoe says something useful!: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/MP-in-move-to-scrap.6657925.jp

I think we should get rid of the list MSPs in the Scottish parliament. They don't reperesent a constituency, they are not accountable to anyone, they are literally there just to make up the numbers. And the system that elects them means voters pick a party, not a candidate, so you don't even know who you are voting for. The winners are picked by the parties.

Just make constituency MSPs elected by proportional representation and get rid of these freeloaders.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MPs want to scrap MSPs on the grounds that they're arrogant and unaccountable, do they? Clearly, MPs have no grasp of irony if that is what they believe.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thought it was only list MSPs? Who are kind of unaccountable.

    Although while we're at it, get we get rid of Scottish MPs from parliament when votes don't apply to Scotland. Pretty please.

    You know it makes sense.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Given that most people believe they are voting for a party (or even a first minister) the list system is entirely valid
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's a difficult one. Listing means that it can be impossible for an electorate to get rid of an unpopular but powerful politician, as Helmut Kohl proved for so many years. But at the same time people generally vote for the party not the politician, as Labour have proved with their long line of sleazy Blairite clones (Hi Chris Leslie! Love you too!)

    You can't have PR without some sort of list system, because of the way PR works. I think the system used in Germany, and also in Scotland, is about as good a democracy as you're going to get.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    List MSPs are as accountable as you wish them to be. They represent a much larger geographical area and I will frequently ask them to justfy voting decisions in the Scottish Parliament...afterall they do represent the area in which I live...they are my MSPs.

    I give them equally as hard a time as my constituency MSP. In Scotland, in terms of the Scottish parliament, you don't simply have one person representing you, but rather many people representing you. You have a choice as to who you take your issues or concerns up with. The list MSPs are valuable, but only as valuable as the people of Scotland make them!
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