Vote for AV

26 Apr 2011

On 26th April, in the build up to the UK referendum on the Alternative Vote, Intelligence² staged a preliminary debate with the motion ‘Vote for AV’.

With political scientist Vernon Bogdanor chairing, democracy campaigner Anthony Barnett argues that a vote for AV is a vote against the ‘conservative...slouching, manipulative, untrustworthy and dishonourable’ system of First Past the Post. Peter Kellner, the President of polling organisation YouGov, also pro-AV, reasons that contrary to NOtoAV campaigning, AV keeps out extremists. While Times columnist, David Aaronovitch, concludes that AV is the only way to reunite voters with their vote.

Arguing against the motion, NOtoAV Chairman Rodney Leach, says that even the AV campaigners don’t want AV – what they really want is Proportional Representation. Michael Pinto Duschinsky, the director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, believes that unlike First Past the Post, AV is woefully inept at removing bad governments. And Conservative MP David Davis claims AV is flawed because, with great unpredictably, it produces either landslide victories or hung parliaments.

Speakers for the motion

David Aaronovitch

Times columnist, author and broadcaster
Anthony Barnett

Writer who was the first Director of Charter 88 from 1988 to 1995 and founder of the website openDemocracy.net
Peter Kellner

Journalist and political commentator, President of YouGov opinion polling organisation.

Chair

Vernon Bogdanor

Research Professor, King's College, London and author of the forthcoming The Coalition and the Constitution

Speakers against the motion

David Davis

Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden
Rodney Leach

Chairman of the NOtoAV campaign
Michael Pinto-Duschinsky

International consultant for numerous democracy and development organisations, and a director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems