David Nowell on the problems of leftwing alliances, William Bartram on the need for Labour to work with the Lib Dems and Greens, and Charlie Owen on Labour’s vote share under Jeremy Corbyn
While I agree with Neal Lawson about the fundamental need for electoral reform (The Tories are terrified of a Labour-Lib Dem pact – and they’re right to be, 2 May), it is dangerous to assume that withdrawing Westminster candidates will gain extra seats for “progressive” parties. Instead, some disenfranchised supporters will stay at home, as has happened in hitherto safe Labour seats, or vote Conservative, rather than lending their support to the remaining candidate. Thus I am standing for election this week to give people the opportunity to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the East Barnet ward of Barnet council in London.
Only a formal electoral pact and manifesto could try to get round this problem, or the introduction of either the single transferable vote or open-list multi-member consistencies for general elections.
