Hey Phil. How are you voting on the AV issue in the referendum?

Hmmm ... not 100% committed either way at the moment. I think both systems have their strengths and weaknesses.

I agree with @unloveablesteve that this is a highly misleading propaganda against AV.

If you do want to understand something about AV here's a great resource with in-browser simulation of the effects of different voting systems.

I guess I like a lot of the warm fuzzy things that AV is meant to stand for. Opening up the space for smaller parties who might challenge the status quo. Letting those nice cuddly LibDems ... oh sorry ... well, potentially letting some nice cuddly politicians into shared government to temper the excesses of the big bad main parties.

Like everyone, I'm bitterly disappointed with the LibDems in the coalition. I think that the only thing that they should do is walk out of it, today, join Labour in a vote of no confidence against the government, allow it to fall and we'll restart the whole thing. Hopefully with people giving enough power back to Labour to stop the Tory cut-machine.

But, having said that, I don't entirely blame the LibDems for their inability to resist the Tory agenda. The Conservatives played them very cleverly. And it's not clear how much power they really have as a minority party in government.

I'm guessing that the same would be the case even under AV. Remember how under Blair, power was getting increasingly centralised with him, even against the wishes of his cabinet? How much does AV for representatives matter when prime-minister is an increasingly presidential role?

Actually, you know what, I think I just talked myself into it. I haven't the energy or the heart to try to construct some kind of real rationale for voting against AV, so I guess I'll just support it.