Make Votes Matter Plymouth
Local branch of Make Votes Matter, the cross-party campaign to introduce Proportional Representation
30/04/2023
Spring is here, just about, elections are coming up, a good time to venture out for some leafleting.
We decided to try the pavement outside the university, which often has a lot of foot traffic. Also a good place to encourage younger people to get voting, and Make their Votes Matter. We had MVM leaflets, and some voter registration cards.
The street looked awfully quiet at first, but we were kept busy. With just four of us, there were enough passers by to keep us on the go most of the time.
People seem to be mainly two types, the too busy, got to catch the bus, "I'm alright mate", "no thanks" people striding past. And the ones who smile and thank us. Some people are really pleased to be offered a leaflet. There were a few young people who aren't registered to vote. They seemed happy to be reminded they can, and get a card. The card has links and a QR code.
Just a few people stopped to talk. We met a TUSC lady, worried that we might be a rival party, but happy to talk about PR.
In the end, we were pleased to have handed out a lot of leaflets, met some friendly people, and didn't even get rained on.
At last weeks rally in Totnes, Caroline Voaden, who was elected MEP in 2019.
19/06/2022
Looking back to the Lord Mayor's show in Plymouth, which took place in a huge marquee on the Plaza. Lots of stalls for local organizations, charities and so on. We were next to the volunteer litter pickers, and just across from the gardeners. The marquee sides were open, so although it was an enclosed space, and sheltered, it was very well ventilated. Our stall was quietly busy, quite a few people stopped for some interesting conversation, whilst some just took away leaflets etc. Local MP Luke Pollard came by and stopped to talk for a while. Besides advertising PR in it's various forms, we also encourage people to register to vote. Sometimes young people reaching voting age are pleased to be reminded thay can, and some are embarassed to admit they are old enough but haven't yet. We give them a how to card with a QR code.
12/06/2022
Emmeline Pankhurst was arrested before landing in Plymouth in 1913. A crowd of 5,000 had gathered to welcome her. This is the blue plaque outside PCAD, now the Arts University Plymouth
12/06/2022
Long read by Linda Gilroy on the suffragists and Plymouth. MVM have been having a day of action, inspired by the suffragist marches of the last century.
A 2020 Plymouth perspective on 100 years of women’s suffrage and parliamentary representation by Linda Gilroy - Astor 100 For our latest LONG READ, we are delighted to welcome Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth Sutton 1997-2010. Here Linda details Plymouth’s proud history of supporting women’s politics from suffrage to...Read More >
07/05/2022
Thursday's results. Likely tactical voting to get a Green councillor in Chaddlewood. There's no straightforward way.
2022 Plymouth City Council election - Wikipedia The 2022 Plymouth City Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Plymouth City Council in England. It will coincide with local elections across the United Kingdom.
In Plymouth, no change in councillors, except 1 Green has deposed 1 Conservative, and that really by tactical voting, and not for Labour.
Plymouth MVM have a virtual meeting on Monday. If you would like to join, please PM us.
22/03/2022
Plymouth in the Reform Act of 1832. The text of the actual stone: "...Supported by the unanimous voices of 20,000 inhabitants of Plymouth, Devonport, and Stonehouse, assembled near this spot on the 16th of May, 1832. John Collier, Chairman. The first members of the Reformed Parliament for the Borough of Plymouth were John Collier, Esq., and Thomas Bewes, Esq."
The actual spot was the Bull Ring/Belvedere. The Reform Act basically enshrined Middle Class Male suffrage, as well as dealing with historic rotten boroughs. Even FPTP had to be reformed, and wasn't really complete until women's suffrage. In actual fact the Reform Act explicitly banned women from voting, given voters were defined as male, which hadn't been the case before. Equality would only arrive in 1928. Less than 100 years ago. Time for some more reform.
21/02/2022
The government wants the power to set the 'strategy' of the Electoral Commission, thereby destroying its independence.
UK elections watchdog warns bill threatens its independence Electoral Commission calls on government to drop plans that give ministers greater say in its work
02/02/2022
GETTING TO PR: LEARNING FROM CANADIAN CAMPAIGNERS Join Former President of Fair Vote Canada, Réal Lavergne, and President of the Liberal Democrats, Dr. Mark Pack for what should be an enlightening discussion of experiences of PR from across the Atlantic and how lessons from Canada can be applied to British Politics. About Fair Vote Canada: No elec...
12/12/2021
Time for Change!
Plymouth MVM deliver Christmas cards for the three Plymouth MPs.
Because of other commitments, plus weather forecasts, this turned into a Saturday evening job, when thankfully the heavy rain had died away. It also matched the national MVM call for a Christmas Action Day on Saturday 11th December.
We hand delivered to Johnny Mercer's office, and Luke Pollard's. Gary Streeter doesn't seem to have a local office, so we found a nice big red pillar box instead. With a Christmas tree.
12/12/2021
Topical cards.
"Drawing by Jess aged 8 from Worthing"
https://www.makevotesmatter.org.uk/shop/mvm-christmas-card?link_id=8&can_id=555c4da87a004f163f8ce7327af4ffb8&source=email-remember-to-shine-a-light-on-pr-this-saturday&email_referrer=email_1380162&email_subject=remember-to-shine-a-light-on-pr-this-saturday
Make Votes Matter - MVM Christmas cards (pack of 5) A pack of five Christmas cards to spread the message of PR to your MP or friends and family, beautifully designed by our supporter Jess, aged 8, from Worthing
24/10/2021
Perspective from a former Conservative MP for Salisbury, Robert Key, on changing our electoral and political landscape. Video in the link. HT to other MVM groups.
https://westenglandbylines.co.uk/a-tory-ex-mp-who-wants-to-defend-democracy-and-share-power/
A Tory ex-MP who wants to defend Democracy and Share Power - West England Bylines 'We have to be like other 21st century democracies and share power not hoard it' says Robert Key, former Tory MP for Salisbury.
10/10/2021
For our second session outside Plymouth Uni, yesterday, we had an actual stall, and several Saturday volunteers. It was an Open Day at the University, so plenty of foot traffic to and fro, though some of these were in hurrying tour groups. We had cards for registering to vote, with a working QR code, and also leaflets about MVM. A few hundred leaflets were given out, and we only saw two thrown away. Whilst there were people who didn't want to know, there were a lot, including parents of prospective students, who agreed we need electoral reform. A small but surprising number of younger people were not registered to vote, and took the cards away with them. Two or three people wanted to explain at length why we were wrong, but they were nonetheless quite affable. Confusingly, a man who said we shouldn't vote, said he agreed with proportional representation, whilst another explained why voting is a waste of time, but said "you're doing a good job".
People who like the present system seemed to be a pretty small minority, at least on our pitch outside the Uni.
The weather was good, we had a pretty good reception, the police lady walking by gave us a sunny smile, and on the whole it felt like a worthwhile effort.
We had another session outside the university on Saturday afternoon, speaking to students and their parents.
In between the rain showers some of us will be near the Sherwell Centre on North Hill outside the University 11am-2pm ish today.
27/09/2021
Labour conference to hold crunch vote on backing proportional representation Thousands of Labour members support the radical shift away from Westminster's first-past-the-post system - though it appears unclear whether it'll have enough support to pass
17/09/2021
This is a good visualisation of voting in one winner situation. So this would apply to things like Mayoral or Police Commissioner elections in the UK, and it also illustrates tactical voting for MPs and Councillors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhO6jfHPFQU&ab_channel=Primer
Simulating alternate voting systems Check out Brilliant: http://www.brilliant.org/primerSupport these videos on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/primerlearningStore: https://store.dftba.com/col...