Comments on: Totnes: Vox Populi, Vox Dei?

By: Careerism in (Labour) politics « Though Cowards Flinch

Careerism in (Labour) politics « Though Cowards Flinch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:35:54 +0000

[...] choosing the candidates our parties run for different seats. Apart from bearing no correlation to the reality of primaries, but amidst talk of careerism, it’s important to be sure we’re aiming at [...]

By: An alternative to primaries « Though Cowards Flinch

An alternative to primaries « Though Cowards Flinch — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:58:51 +0000

[...] gimmick, and my reasons are not massively different from those already set out ably by others like Dave at TCF, and not least (but possibly one of the least noticed) [...]

By: The Bickerstaffe Record » Blog Archive » An alnernative to primaries

The Bickerstaffe Record » Blog Archive » An alnernative to primaries — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:43:35 +0000

[...] gimmick, and my reasons are not massively different from those already set out ably by others like Dave at TCF, and not least (but possibly one of the least noticed) [...]

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:12:08 +0000

I know you don’t like the Fabians, but you may like this:

http://www.nextleft.org/2009/05/why-open-primaries-are-really-bad-idea.html

By: Dave Semple

Dave Semple — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:00:05 +0000

I see that David Miliband has now come out to call for primaries with the same dreary piffle. Labour can win fourth term. Innovate, etc. I notice, however, that rather than, say, radically changing policies, it is the frippery around the edges Miliband wants to change.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/07/david-miliband-labour-primaries

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:10:54 +0000

We had open primaries in California. We passed a law in 1996 that allowed any registered voter to vote for any Party’s primary candidate, regardless of their affiliation. The US Supeme Court struck it down, and now hwe ave a kinda half-open primary, where people who don’t state a party affiliation can vote in any primary, but only one, per election cycle.

I kinda liked them. It was interesting, but I see your arguments against them and I think they have merit.

By: charliemarks

charliemarks — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:09:18 +0000

Before open primaries it was elected mayors – and this too constitutes a centralisation of power. Why should I be involved in the internal workings of a party of which I am not a member?

Closed primaries, I wouldn’t have a problem with (ie. we register as supporting a certain party when we register to vote, allowing us to vote in said party’s primary, etc.) but here too, there’s a problem: with hostile manipulation.

More important than choosing between candidates – really they should be *delegates* – we need a clear choice of policies on the ballot.

By: Dave Semple

Dave Semple — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:37:46 +0000

Robert, I have a question. If you want Labour to be reborn as a socialist party, do you think it will happen by magic?

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:46:58 +0000

When the labour party is re born as a socialist party I’ll come back and I’ll vote for this. This bunch of want to be Tories are not Labour as for Progress god forgive.