Break the Cycle of Addiction

It's a numbers game, of course, nothing else. Now the Conservatives really have no hope of getting the 40 percent minimum they need to form a majority Government. They are contemplating what to do with the 35 percent they are likley to be left with. It is still quite possible they could even trail Labour in numbers of seats on that mark so they have to at least appear to be considering a constructive approach to the Lib-Dems.

But there lies the core problem for the Cons. Whatever they do is a calculation, seemingly masking their true instincts. They appear to be simply demanding power 'now' or preferably 'yesterday'. Cameron tried to appear concilatory about electoral reform in his Observer interview, "we would behave in a responsible way," he oozed - posturing, posing and preening.

Let's be clear they don't mean it. the Cons are hooked to the decrepit old voting system like an old soak clinging to his Special Brew. The current structure leaves them at least 5% worse off but they cannot contemplate any reform which would threaten their chances of acting like elected dictators. Their behaviour, far from being responsible, shows they crave power and would never deign to share the spoils.

The Conservatives' Parliamentary reforms are but a fig leaf. Reducing Ministerial pay is nothing more than a gimic and cutting the number of MPs by 10 percent will only add a tenth more workload of constituency work to the over-worked remainder.

Hague has been trumpeting his party's dismal 'reform' policies and described ripping up the voting system as only "tinkering round the edges." Cameron's latest on-the-hoof policy is to legislate for an election six months after a change of Prime Minister, whatever the circumstances. As Peter Mandelson said contemptuously, "So the Tories would have insisted on an election in 1940. This just isn't serious politics."

Peter Hain (above) is one of the few senior Labour figures to admit, a huge wave of tactical voting is required to slam the door on the Tories. Holding a referendum on voting reform would then keep them locked out. "I think it is time for everyone to behave intelligently in their own constituencies...if we can beat the Tories this time we can change British politics forever."

The Tories aversion to a proportional system is not entirely irrational although it is undemocratic. The fact remains, most people don't want them in power.