But AV is merely a retooled version of FPTP. It isn’t real electoral reform at all; it’s a poor sop to those who want real change.

Can’t find the actual figures or question asked in the latest one – but for the one conducted at the start of december they are here

http://www.leftfootforward.org/images/2010/12/ICM-Alternative-Vote-survey.pdf (thanks leftfootforward)

As UK Polling Report suggests, and as the Independent copies – the difference between the Yougov figures and these ones is likely to be largely a result of the question asked rather than a trend. Obviously trends are best judged within one polling company’s results, rather than between results from different polling companies. (Always silly to try that)

This one in early Deceber asked

“A referendum is due to be held in May 2011 on adopting a new voting system for British parliamentary elections. The proposed new system is called the ‘Alternative Vote’ (AV). If the referendum on AV were held tomorrow, how would you vote?”

This poll carries no pre-amble (i believe) which is good – though means some people will not know what AV or the un-named other system are – which makes them more likely to just say “yes” to the named option. (standard leading practice in polling, ensure your prefered option is the “yes” answer, and don’t mention the other option if possible).

The key difference between ICM and yougov though is that even the ICM one that pre-date’s Ed’s official support shows Labour voters supporting AV by a small majority, while yougov shows them largely against.

This is probably because yougov mention in their pre-amble that the coalition has put forward a referendum – and so labour people (and others) are thus inclined to oppose it if they hold no particularly strong opinion otherwise.

And that carries lessons for the campaign.

The “yes” campaign should lock all lib dems in a dungeon until voting day. The “no” campaign should try to break them out of the dungeon and shine a torchlight on them until voting day.

The “yes” campaign should lock all lib dems in a dungeon until voting day.

I can see sally salivating at the thought…

Seems a mite illiberal though, and would possibly cause certain key sectors of the economy or government to stall – although what these might be I am not certain…

“But AV is merely a retooled version of FPTP. It isn’t real electoral reform at all; it’s a poor sop to those who want real change.”

It is, objectively, a more information rich voting system. We’d know who people wanted not only as their MP on balance, but also the popularity of each party beyond that. Statistically we’d be able to tell, once and for all, if the country wanted a Lib Con coalition, or a Lib Lab one. Under FPTP we gain so little information about what people really want, as a group decision, all we know is what people would *ideally* want, not what they’d be happy to accept on compromise if they couldn’t get their ideal.

And life is all about compromise.

@4 An “information rich system” is not necessarily better and it certainly doesn’t make the process of voting fairer. Only real PR can do that.

How much of the improvement in the Labour yes score can be attributed to people who were previously counted in the Lib Dem Yes column now being in the Labour Yes column?