How the supplementary vote electoral system deprived the first-past-the-post winner, John Prescott, of victory

How the supplementary vote electoral system deprived the first-past-the-post winner, John Prescott, of victory

Only problem John: YOUR government designed this system in 2000

Looking at the outcome in Humberside you can perhaps forgive John Prescott for being so angry about the voting system. For if this had operated on first past the post he would have been celebrating his victory tonight.

I wonder whether he recalls how in the period before the first London mayoral election in 2000 the supplementary vote was introduced by Labour with the aiming of stopping Ken – who had been threatening to run as an independent if he didn’t get the Labour nomination.

SV did come in and has been used in elections for elected mayors and now police commissioners since.

In spite of the voting system Ken stormed to victory in 2000. Four years later a way had been found for Ken to re-join the party and he stood for re-election under the Labour banner.

The voting system remains.

Mike Smithson

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