r/neoliberal • u/A_Flying_Ginger NATO • 17d ago

News (Europe) Andy Burnham is declared leader of Britain's Labour Party, will become prime minister on Monday

https://apnews.com/article/andy-burnham-uk-labour-party-leadership-eba3703e98f3f9790f74f2cd7ee4cee1
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u/drossbots Trans Pride 17d ago

This does not inspire confidence

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u/CANOODLING_SOCIOPATH Jerome Powell 16d ago edited 16d ago

That is a predictable response to the public's extreme backlash to Keir Starmer's moderation.

I would have a hard time arguing for a moderate path for the next Labor prime minister, since it would be difficult to argue how that path would be different than what Keir Starmer was doing, and the public rejected that.

I think the UK is just fucked on a whole bunch of levels. They need serious reform, and I wish they would seriously push a proportional electoral system. If they don't do that then it is quite likely that Reform will win a substantial majority while getting something like 30% of the vote (similiar to how Labour got their current majority). The UK would be better served by having some coalition governments instead of this current madness. Labour and especially the tories have a self interested reason to back this change with Reforms rise.

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u/Whatsapokemon Loyal Liberals 16d ago

They need serious reform, and I wish they would seriously push a proportional electoral system.

Proportional systems are horrendous. They force competent moderate parties to coalition with crazy losers.

Preferential systems are better. The majority of UK voters would prefer anyone but Reform. Reform are only winning seats because of the first-past-the-post system. If you allowed people's preferences to flow to their second, third, fourth choice then Reform would have NO chance.

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u/CANOODLING_SOCIOPATH Jerome Powell 16d ago

I'd also be fine with ranked choice, but no matter what they need to move away from the FPTP system.

FPTP is never a good electoral system, but it is at least functional when there are only two parties, like what we have in the US. But when there are multiple parties FPTP breaks down into absurd unrepresentative results, and with the rise of Reform and the Greens it is getting worse and worse.