4. 4. Plaid Cymru Debate: The Wales Bill and the Electoral System

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:17 pm on 29 June 2016.

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Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 3:17, 29 June 2016

Well, you know, I’ve said that I think there are advantages and disadvantages with whatever system you use. Frankly, the most elegant thing to do would be to use similar systems. So, there are implications: if you do it for local government, should you be doing it for the Assembly and quite a small legislature, and how would that work? As I say, I don’t have a closed mind, but, speaking as the constitutional spokesman for the group, I have to emphasise that STV’s not something we are prepared to endorse.

I have to say, Gwenllian, I greatly enjoyed your mischief and the outrageous examples of liberal over-representation that you gave. I’m sure it would’ve entertained everyone in the Assembly, but I have to say that I come from a tradition where we’ve been on the receiving end of a system that rewards our 20 per cent of the vote with no representation at all for a long time, but my party has to face up to the fact that it’s been sort of calmer in terms of outrage when it comes to a UK level, because we’ve often benefited greatly from winning general elections with sub-50 per cent performance, if I can put it as neutrally as that. So, look, it’s appropriate that the power comes to the Assembly and then we fully consider it. I think, having said that, we would be looking to change some of the current systems, and we want to do that based on good, hard evidence.