Comedian lines up with MPs to give view on AV

COMEDIAN Eddie Izzard was in Plymouth yesterday morning as part of a four-day whistle-stop tour of the UK supporting the campaign to reform Britain’s voting system.

Voters going to the polls in today’s council elections will also be offered a vote in a referendum on changing the voting system.

The referendum will offer the choice of sticking with the existing first past the post system, or changing to the so-called Alternative Vote (AV) method.

Eddie Izzard, a supporter of the Yes to AV campaign, said he accepted that the Labour Party was split over changing the way MPs are elected.

But he said: “AV is a fairer voting system than we have at present.

“It’s opposed by the Tories. They opposed votes for all men in the 19th century, and votes for women in the 20th century. It’s always the Tories who are against reform.

“The No campaign say it is difficult to use, but it’s as easy as one-two-three. You just list the candidates you like in order.”

And he rejected No-campaign claims that running an AV election was expensive.

“It’s not expensive. That’s just a lie. You don’t need counting machines. If the No campaign can’t count to three that might explain why they need counting machines.”

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP Oliver Colvile, who opposes AV, said yesterday: “It’s an unfair process and it means that the candidate who comes third could potentially end up winning.

“AV is very confusing and first past the post is simple: the person who gets the most votes is the winner.

“If we had AV we would be subject to endless amounts of backroom deals where people have voted for one thing but end up getting something completely different.

“What happened at the last General Election would be a regular occurrence.”

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the Conservative Party chairman, who visited Plymouth last month, said: “Our democracy is built on a fair and simple principle: each person has one vote and the candidate with the most votes wins.

“AV turns this principle on its head. Not only do some people end up having more votes counted than others, but under AV the candidate who comes second often wins.

“Just imagine if we applied this to sports competitions. In the boxing ring, the guy who’s knocked out is declared the winner. In the Grand National, the horse that comes second, wins.”

Alison Seabeck, the Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, said she would be voting ‘Yes’ to AV.

“The South West always looks like a straight fight between Lib Dems and Conservatives, but it’s more complicated than that. There are often people who want to vote Labour but don’t and get caught up in tactical voting.

“That is why I’m voting for AV.

“It is not a complicated system and you don’t have to have electronic counting. You just take the smallest pile of ballots and redistribute them.

“The ‘No’ campaign is just wrong.”

Bill Wakeham, leader of the UK Independence Party in Plymouth, said: “AV is not perfect, but it’s a crack in the dam.

“People often tell us: ‘I agree with UKIP but if I vote for you it will let Labour (or the Tories) back in again’.

“AV removes that dilemma.”

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