With PR/STV, you will get gays, blacks, asians, women, the disabled, or any other group you can think of, elected in the right proportions, to the extent that electors themselves wish, at any given time, to be governed by those criteria. On the other hand, it does not force them to elect such representatives if they do not want them. If the parties fail to put up enough such people, they can stand as independents and still get elected where there is any significant demand for such representation.

We are fighting two wars yet how many mps have combat experience? Our economy is in dire straights yet how many mps have set up and run companies?

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=384075&NewsAreaID=2

Open primaries. Most of the problem arises from selectorates second-guessing what they think voters want. Mind you, on the only occasion I was part of one, it never occurred to me afterwards that because we’d chosen the black woman on the list to carry the Party banner (sucessfully, it was a safe seat) that white voters would feel less represented than they had been.

I would also add that at the last census a million Brits were age 85 or over, but I somehow doubt that there’ll much traction for diversity to extend to them. I don’t know what proportion of MPs attended Russell Group universities (if it was over 80% I wouldn’t be at all surprised) but no one sees this as a problem – or do they?

The current lack of diversity and under-representation of various portions of society is what prevents the HoC from being fully representative in its current composition.

I would however say that Parliament IS representative of the relative distribution of power in this country, so, really, instead of complaining that the results of the current distribution of power is unfairly unrepresentative we should be looking at ways in which access to power is distributed more equitably.

I don’t like the idea of ethnic or woman-only short lists.

Aaron, I doubt there will be an or in between those. From what I hear, there will be a ‘diverse’ shortlists with women and minorities in them. Not happy about that either, admittedly.

America just elected a black politician without such provision

Aha! Not exactly. Chicago itself is very steeped in black power politics… which Obama negotiated through and partly took advantage of. But in terms of getting to the top once he was inside, you’re right.

We should have regional assemblies with local representatives. This would redistribute political power to the regions and reduce the imperial overreach of Westminster. I also believe this would provide an environment for local business people, community workers, and politically minded subjects to get involved in a much higher profile way than council politics could possibly offer.

If areas have large ethnic populations, this will be reflected in the representatives they select. The local politicians will then have a better chance of getting national prominence as the media will have to spread itself beyond London.

I don’t like the idea of ethnic or woman-only short lists. America just elected a black politician without such provision, and Thatcher rose to the top without it too.