Fixing our broken democracy: The case for 'Total Representation'

Although a change in the voting system was rejected in a referendum in 2011, the case for electoral reform in the UK is as strong as ever. Winning the argument for changing from our present system, however, will require an alternative that is not just manifestly fairer, but one that also recognises the obstacles to reform. Total Representation TR is such a system.In the general election of 2010, more than half of those who voted backed a losing candidate, and consequently the election result took no account of their views. With ‘Total Representation’, however, even votes for losers would contribute to the overall result and the great majority of electors would find they had someone at Westminster to represent them.People have lost faith in politics – few believe that politicians are on their side and acting in their interests. TR advocates a simple way of giving us a parliament that better reflects the views of voters without any major change in our traditional way we conduct elections.In a foreword to the book, Professor Tony Wright of London University comments: “This book by Ken Ritchie is welcome and timely. It makes the case for Total Representation, which combines the single member constituency system with an imaginative (and flexible) way to get additional members from the best losers. It is not necessary to sign up to the precise details of such a system to recognise that it makes an important and undogmatic contribution to thinking about what a desirable kind of electoral system might look like. It deserves to be widely read, and discussed.”