Comments on: An MP for the blogosphere? http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/ Adventures in government, politics and open source. Mostly WordPress-related. Fri, 11 May 2012 16:17:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Stuart Bruce http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-1320 Stuart Bruce Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:42:11 +0000 http://puffbox.com/?p=1513#comment-1320 This is an idea that I've talked about before with friends and senior politicians. I'm strongly in favour of being able to elect politicians based on 'communities of interest' rather than geographic areas. As already touched on it needs the appropriate safeguards to ensure that certain groups of people don't end up with less representation. In 2010 people's geographic ties are usually far weaker than their affiliation to 'people like them'. Since I've been eligible to vote I've lived in nine different constituencies and the one I feel the strongest 'connection' to is Copeland where I only lived from 14 to 18, but it feels like home. I don't have as strong a sense of community in the places I live as I do in the things I do. I'm a member of the public relations community, the small business community, the digital community far more than I am the Elment and Rothwell constituency where I just happen to live, but will almost certainly move from in the next five years. This is an idea that I've talked about before with friends and senior politicians. I'm strongly in favour of being able to elect politicians based on 'communities of interest' rather than geographic areas. As already touched on it needs the appropriate safeguards to ensure that certain groups of people don't end up with less representation. In 2010 people's geographic ties are usually far weaker than their affiliation to 'people like them'. Since I've been eligible to vote I've lived in nine different constituencies and the one I feel the strongest 'connection' to is Copeland where I only lived from 14 to 18, but it feels like home. I don't have as strong a sense of community in the places I live as I do in the things I do. I'm a member of the public relations community, the small business community, the digital community far more than I am the Elment and Rothwell constituency where I just happen to live, but will almost certainly move from in the next five years.

]]> By: Simon http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-1319 Simon Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:22:58 +0000 http://puffbox.com/?p=1513#comment-1319 Maybe 'profession' is the wrong term to have used: Owen's post talked about vocational groups and the country's largest membership organisations, as well as professional, industry and representative groups. That sounds a bit more like it: there's more to life than work, of course. And I don't necessarily see a problem with individuals having several votes: for example, an accountant (ICAEW) who drives to work (the AA), likes visiting stately homes on a Saturday (National Trust), then goes to church on a Sunday morning (CofE) before collecting his kids from his ex-wife's (er, Fathers 4 Justice?). Our lives are multi-faceted; why shouldn't our representation be, too? Like I said, I don't envy the person/s tasked with developing the formula. But instinctively it feels more inspiring than regional party lists. Maybe 'profession' is the wrong term to have used: Owen's post talked about vocational groups and the country's largest membership organisations, as well as professional, industry and representative groups. That sounds a bit more like it: there's more to life than work, of course.

And I don't necessarily see a problem with individuals having several votes: for example, an accountant (ICAEW) who drives to work (the AA), likes visiting stately homes on a Saturday (National Trust), then goes to church on a Sunday morning (CofE) before collecting his kids from his ex-wife's (er, Fathers 4 Justice?).

Our lives are multi-faceted; why shouldn't our representation be, too? Like I said, I don't envy the person/s tasked with developing the formula. But instinctively it feels more inspiring than regional party lists.

]]> By: Anthony Zacharzewski http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-1318 Anthony Zacharzewski Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:11:18 +0000 http://puffbox.com/?p=1513#comment-1318 As I mentioned on Twitter, the problem arises when you say "where professionals democratically". Most people aren't professionals, so it would make the new chamber democratically unrepresentative - perhaps even more middle-class-bias than the Commons. As I mentioned on Twitter, the problem arises when you say "where professionals democratically". Most people aren't professionals, so it would make the new chamber democratically unrepresentative - perhaps even more middle-class-bias than the Commons.

]]> By: Simon http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-1317 Simon Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:02:07 +0000 http://puffbox.com/?p=1513#comment-1317 I'm on the verge of deleting the entire post, and just linking to Owen's much more detailed and thorough piece. Read it. I'm on the verge of deleting the entire post, and just linking to Owen's much more detailed and thorough piece. Read it.

]]> By: Owen Barder http://puffbox.com/2010/04/11/an-mp-for-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-1316 Owen Barder Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:56:41 +0000 http://puffbox.com/?p=1513#comment-1316 Splendid idea! I suggested something very similar on my blog five years ago: http://www.owen.org/blog/262 Splendid idea!

I suggested something very similar on my blog five years ago:
http://www.owen.org/blog/262

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