Exactly what RG said. One person one vote. It can't be any fairer.

And if you don't like the options open to you, you can stand yourself.

It is simple, I grant you that, but fair is subjective. It would also not be practical for everyone to stand that didn't like the options.

"Actually, if the Labour leadership election had been held using a straightforward system of one person one vote first past the post, Ed Miliband would have beaten David Miliband by 125,649 to 114,205."



David was only an alleged "clear winner" when you add up percentages (always a very, very perverse thing to do in statistical terms) rather than adding up the actual votes cast - which I think is how "First past the post" works isn't it, Richard?

Or are you saying David Miliband won by a clear margin of party members when you ignore union members? Surely you would not suggest that the union brothers and sisters should be disenfranchised from leadership elections, are you? I can't imagine you getting a particularly warm reception if you suggest that at the next Blackpool Labour party conference.

Those numbers which I quoted were the actual numbers of the first preference votes cast amongst MPs/MEPs, trade unionists and CLP members while the other contenders were in the reckoning - in the first round as you say. So if you imagine it as an "x" being written instead of a "1" and without any rounds of voting, Ed Miliband would have won by a considerable margin under a first past the post system.

All these numbers are from the Labour party's own website: http://www.labour.org.uk/results.

I've added a total per candidate column here to their numbers:

You could also argue that David won the sections of Labour MP's and members, but section 3 (unions and other affiliates) went to Ed by a huge majority. I accept the result, but there were a lot of people voting in that section who are members of the Lib Dems, Greens and other political parties. My friend Chris works at Lib Dem HQ, and he voted for Ed Balls!!! But you are right, on looking at the total ballots cast, it would appear that Ed still won

Thank you

However Diane Abbott is the only one following me on Twitter!

Scary, or what?

What her or me? Or the fact that the other Labour leadership candidates have yet to see the light...?

I got six votes in two ballots on Thursday and both were FPTP.

It's not always one person, one vote.

But you were entitled to one vote for each available seat?

Yes, but it wasn't one person, one vote.

It was one person six votes.

Let's compromise.

One person, one voter PER SEAT???

Must say I find the multiple seats situation quite odd. It makes for very unwieldy Councils. Equally, the main parties claim they often have to pressure people into standing. Can this lavish over provision be justified much longer?

Jeez......

We found 41 people willing to stand. It is very difficult to find 52 genuine candidates. There is at least one town councillor who I know that got elected after being promised that they would not win. I know of a couple of district councillors who didn't want to stand, and who have never wished to be elected but were re-elected this year. It's barmy.

My suggestion would be to reduce the number of councillors to thirty, and to replace the leader and chairman roles with a directly elected mayor as it would be cheaper to run. My figures suggest we could save around £300,000 a year if we had a mayor and thirty councillors.

How so (as you seem to be the only one who understands your maths)?

One person (e.g. user23) was able to vote for 6 people?

Only him? That would explain it!!!!

You had six people vote for you? I'm guessing they didn't know who you were.

Him, and any other constituent from within the boundaries of the Newbury Town Council and its wards.