Primaries Are Not the Answer

James makes a droll case for Labour holding an open, national, primary to select the party’s next leader. As I say, it’s an entertaining notion, though it’s not clear that Tory or Lib Dem voters have any real right to choose Gordon Brown’s successor.

Still, the idea of primaries seems to be on everyone’s mind lately. All in the name of “reconnecting” politicians and voters. But the argument for primaries basically comes down to one thing: that’s how they do it in the United States. Since much of the British political and media class finds American presidential elections much more exciting and interesting than anything that happens on our own wee island, it’s hardly surprising that there should be such enthusiasm for any idea that would Americanise our politics.

But this is a fantasy. Life is not like the West Wing. Entranced by the glamour and intensity of Presidential primary contests, pundits and politicians forget that such contests are exceptional, not typical.