Letter to my MP

Bit of a random blog post but perhaps one of the topics I feel currently strongest about.

I despise this government. Sadly I’ve also given up my Labour party membership as their aims are not ambitious enough (I DO NOT have any energy for entering a Corbyn/Starmer debate. That is old, stale, overdone shit. That is too late now shit. That is ‘let’s stop fighting each other and get rid of the Tories PLEASE’ shit.)

Like many, due in part to our voting system, I feel politically homeless.

And this is where PR comes in.

When I was young my dad told me that the downside of PR is that the BNP (or NF, I guess, at the time) would have seats in parliament. I used to think that was a terrible thing and must be at all costs avoided. But really what would be wrong with giving the whole ‘silent majority’ schtick a little examination? A few MPs would serve to reveal the true, ‘noisy minority’ status of the far right.

The majority of people in this country vote for left-of-centre parties. That might not herald a route to the socialist haven of my dreams, but anything is better than what we are likely to be stuck with otherwise.

In Salt Lick, the government is an increasingly worse version of what we have right now. With the disenfranchising imposition of voter ID, the possible independence of Scotland, constituency boundary manipulation, it is not far-fetched to imagine an executive that already operates as though it is above the law, getting very much worse. Clearly, what they can get away with as opposed to what is in the interests of their constituents is the mode of governance.

If we had PR, there would be many changes. Some may not be perfect – visionary policy may be held in check by small majorities for example, but for christ’s sake, when is the last time we saw any visionary policies winging through the gothic architecture of Parliament? I’d settle for a collective decision that foodbanks and footballers are not the best way for one of the richest nations in the world to feed its children.

We are stuck with the two major parties fannying around to seduce the same, predictable but solid minority group of voters and placating the vile, reactionary rags they read. That leaves a hell of a lot of people unrepresented. Or vilified. At best, ignored.

In an era when politicians so rarely demonstrate they have earned the trust bestowed on them, perhaps a little reining in, a good deal of compromise and collaboration, might be what we need. Maybe collaboratively, a green new deal that will mean something might get off the ground.

Etc Etc.

The problem with politics is it is so BIG. I have plenty more arguments – I just don’t think I need to bore you all with them here. Instead, here is the letter I sent today today to my MP. It’s not necessarily the most stirring, best piece of letter writing, but it does feel necessary, so that there may be a little turning of the tide, and the slow accumulations may be enough, in the end, to float a very necessary lifeboat.

If you feel that you might like to do the same, here is a useful link. And please feel free to lift any of my letter if it would be useful.

Attn: Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP

Brighton, Kemptown

Wednesday 8 September 2021

Dear Lloyd Russell-Moyle,

I am writing to ask whether you will support the growing calls for a change in the voting system, at the forthcoming Labour conference. 

Clearly our democracy needs rebalancing and our voting system needs to change, particularly if we are to avoid decades of Tory rule – truly a disaster for the country. 

I canvassed for you in the last election, and would certainly consider doing so again – if Labour can step up to modernise, enfranchise and change our country so we are fit to tackle the many problems we face. This shameless Tory party will trickle relentlessly into government with its 37% of the vote, and sink us in poverty, shrinking life expectancy, climate disaster and sea level rises whilst some continue to enrich themselves. 

The rest of the political body of the UK MUST step in. I hope that Labour can be at the vanguard, rather than languishing hopelessly in a wish to return to past (now impossible) successes. 

Things must change. For all our sakes. 

Yours sincerely,

Lulu Allison