Much as I hate them, surely if people are voting for them they should be represented. The same goes fir the green party.

+1

As much as I detest the BNP and what they represent, people should have their interests represented.

+1 but would they really be able to get enough seats in most of the country? I would prefer to vote UKIP rather than BNP. Though I doubt that Clegg will be able to hold the balance of power next time. He has tainted the Liberals so much I could see the Greens overtaking them in the election if AV is an option.

Minority arse groups like that have found to actually do worse in general in AV/PR based systems.

No doubt because they may do well once but then people see what they're actually like or perhaps because people realise their vote actually counts.

Baroness Warsi talking out of her ar$e.

Quelle surprise.

I think would agree. While there are a few who are racist not enough to get any number of them into power. Also to completely blame AV for a rise in the BNP does not let the government in power off the hook for creating conditions that allows the BNP to prosper. If white working class populations are ignored by the main parties because they are too busy chasing that few thousand crucial floating voters, then the BNP will prosper. It is the fault of the main parties that allow such extremist parties to flourish.

So, the Conservative Party Chairman, who has battled for equality for minorities, is against another minority having political representation? WTF?

George Orwell anyone? All are equal, but some are more equal than others?

I agree wholeheartedly. I suspect that the Greens will probably do pretty well and even if there was a BNP candidate they would barely get elected, except for a few occasions.

She’s another ranter/martyr minority type. I’m not really surprised they have used the BNP as a way to scare people out of voting for AV - I’m sure they would do this regardless of the voting system being proposed. She has no real way of knowing how the BNP will fare. She really has no idea how HER party will fare, to be honest.

My concerns are not with BNP, it is more a matter of what will happen to the Liberal vote? With the lurch to to the right under Clegg, I cannot see many people who might have considered a Liberal vote as a back up to a Labour vote might prefer another party.

The Liberal party is dead. Unless they can perform some miracle and reduce the Tory party to a pile of smouldering embers in the process, I doubt that they will reach the same heights as they were achieving before the last general election.

The LibDem canvasser who called round the other day looked like he had heard the same at every door at which he called. I think there are a lot of LibDem voters here who feel aggrieved that their vote let the Tories in. I expect that the local elections will see them punished severely.

Personally, I would like to see Labour get some votes here. We have two parties on the council - LibDems and Tories, and despite the canvasser’s assertions to the contrary, I find it very hard to see how the LibDems can be a proper opposition locally when the two parties are linked so deeply nationally. A party which is not involved with the two parties in government can only be healthy.

TBH I think he's right. What happens between parties locally and nationally are indeed very different.

I don’t see how that separation can be made. If the LibDems in national government decide that the local government councillors are not toeing the line, they’ll get snapped back quick. I put this to the chap who came to the door, and he conceded that they would be encouraged to abstain instead of voting for (or against) something which went against the government’s wishes. In short, they’ll get told to shut up and put up if push comes to shove. Hardly independent, I feel.

I will vote for AV because it will give the Greens a better chance. Sod the BNP I will never put a number next to them so they do not benefit. I might actually vote UKIP if it gets rid of the Tories. If the Liberals abandon their tight wing leadership then I can vote for them as my second preference. I will definitely be voting this year. Though I wonder if I should stick with my postal vote or cross the road to the polling station as it is directly opposite.