tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post7698010688727539155..comments2024-01-03T05:23:36.046-08:00Comments on The Citizens: Electoral Reform in the UK?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-83616893363511718012010-05-14T14:20:15.945-07:002010-05-14T14:20:15.945-07:00OTOH, having fixed electoral cycles encourages lon...OTOH, having fixed electoral cycles encourages longer campaigns. Longer campaigns put the opposition under more scrutiny and force the opposition to start fielding candidates and issues too far in advance. I know the conventional wisdom is that snap elections help the incumbent party, but I wonder if (or how) we could get data about this. Indeed, have British politicians waited for moments of popularity to call elections, or have they not usually just waited almost 5 years? The cycles are 4-5 years: 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010. It seems the effect of the 'snap election' is to reduce campaigning time.The Law Talking Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886791396468512490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-66738607717548880432010-05-13T13:51:29.197-07:002010-05-13T13:51:29.197-07:00Well, it would probably favor the opposition. Und...Well, it would probably favor the opposition. Under the current system, where the PM can call elections whenever (s)he wants but must do so at least every 5 years, the PM can call elections to coincide with spikes in support. With fixed election times they wouldn't be able to do that.Raised By Republicanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03461006522141969925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-37122563573941578462010-05-13T07:50:17.415-07:002010-05-13T07:50:17.415-07:00The other big change is the promise to have 5-year...The other big change is the promise to have 5-year fixed-term parliaments (borrowing from the fixed-term US legislatures we have had since colonial days). I think that may have a very salubrious effect on UK politics.The Law Talking Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886791396468512490noreply@blogger.com