New FPTP Group

There is a new All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Continuation of First Past the Post (FPTP). Daniel Kawczynski MP (Conservative, Shrewsbury & Atcham) founded it and he is its official Contact and one of its two co-Chairmen. You can read more about the group, including its somewhat illogical purpose, at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi278.htm.
I welcome its formation, because it should stimulate debate. I have enlarged on this at http://www.stvaction.org.uk and advise readers to click on "Read more" for the full article.

Mr Kawczynski's views

Mr K has set out his views in an open letter to his Leader, David Cameron, which you can see on http://www.daniel4shrewsbury.co.uk/popups/article_template.php?dataID=2047.

Without mentioning my views on electoral reform or using my STV Action e-mail address, I asked Mr K some questions in an attempt to ascertain his views on some other aspects of the issue. Readers may like to read the complete correspondence below:

From Anthony Tuffin (AT) to Daniel Kawczynski MP (DK), 11.37, 25.6.08:

Subject: First Past the Post

Dear Mr Kawczynski,

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I understand you would like not only to retain FPTP for elections to the House of Commons but also to change to it for other Parliamentary and Assembly elections. Would you mind telling me please whether you would remove the Scottish Parliament's power to decide on the voting system for Scottish local elections and whether you favour FPTP for Conservative Leadership elections?

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Tuffin.

From DK to AT, 16.09, 25.6.08:

Are you a constituent??

Daniel Kawczynski MP

From AT to DK, 20.43, 27.6.08:

Dear Mr Kawczynski,

I am surprised you have asked the question as you are putting yourself forward on a national issue, presumably with a view to raise support outside your constituency. Does your question imply that, if I am not a constituent which I am not disclosing now, you would give me a different answer?

As you are making a name for yourself far beyond your constituency on this important constitutional issue of national importance, I very much hope you will kindly answer my questions to help me understand your views. Of course, I shall understand if you tell me you have not yet considered these particular aspects but I would appreciate an answer, even if you tell me it is only provisional first thoughts

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Tuffin.

From DK to AT, 10.03, 28.6.08:

99.99% of all e-mails received from people have a reference to their postal address and that is why I had to ask you the question as your e-mail did not indicate that. We receive over 250 e-mails a day and have to prioritise those that come from my constituency as I am sure you can appreciate.

I have set up the group as am not happy with the increasing use of PR for elections. It makes politicians elected under such a system less accountable and more remote from the electorate. We want to fight the flow of pro PR propaganda coming from the government and challenge them over this.

Daniel Kawczynski MP

From AT to DK, 23.12, 28.6.08:

Dear Mr Kawczynski,

Thank you for writing. I quite realise you must give attention to your constituents as soon as you can and now confirm I am not one of them. Nevertheless, you have chosen to speak on this national issue so you must expect to attract questions from outside your constituency and, indeed, I would have expected you to welcome them. I hope, therefore, you will not ignore them when you receive them and I shall be most grateful if you kindly will answer mine.

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Tuffin.

From DK to AT, 10.44, 29.6.08:

I think I have already answered your question as best I can by stating the broad principals of the group. I intend to set out short and medium term specific objectives once the group formally meets in early July.

From AT to DK, 14.50, 29.6.08:

Dear Mr Kawczynski,

Thank you for replying. I quite understand your group needs to look at more specific objectives and I hope you will send me details of them, together with answers to my specific questions, after your meeting next month. I hope you do not mind, but may I ask you a third question that had not occurred to me before and which your group may wish to discuss if it does not have a policy on it yet? What are your views on the use of the Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland, where it was introduced for specific reasons by successive Conservative and Labour administrations?

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Tuffin.

Any Questions?

In case you would like to ask Mr K any questions yourself, his e-mail address is kawczynskid AT parliament.uk, but may I please ask you not to mention my name or STV News and not to repeat my questions? I have not touched upon his letter to David Cameron and there is plenty of scope to question him on that. If you write to him and receive an answer - or non-answer - that you think deserves a wider audience, do please pass it to me.