Who Wants Strong Government Anyway?

James’s column in this week’s edition of the magazine (subscribe!) is characteristically excellent but it has produced one odd response already. Tim Montgomerie worries that it might be harder to pass “unpopular legislation” if the British electoral system is changed from First Past the Post to the Alternative Vote. Like other opponents of AV, Tim fears it will help produce “weak, lowest common denominator government”. He quotes James:

“If AV passed, Cameron would find managing his parliamentary party almost impossible. Suddenly, the priority for Tory MPs would be to make themselves acceptable as a second choice to those who didn’t vote for them last time rather than supporting the government’s agenda… Tory MPs get agitated as soon as negative emails from constituents appear in their inboxes. When, for instance, the recent campaign against privatising the Forestry Commission got going, MPs started privately pushing for a U-turn… Some would say that anything which makes MPs more prepared to defy the whips is a good thing.