Is there a Short explanation?

Clare Short's decision to campaign for a hung parliament (her article is available today without subscription) has left me confused. How exactly does she want voters to behave?

Obviously, you can't vote for a hung parliament, you have to vote for one of the party candidates in your constituency. But how do you know which one to vote for in order to help Ms Short's campaign? You would have to be able to guess how the election was going to end up (nationally and in your constituency) in order to make sure you cast your ballot correctly. 

Ironically, by the next election, Ms Short may be urging many people to vote Labour after all, in order to prevent the Conservatives having a majority.

The other reason her call is odd is that she assumes that a hung parliament will lead to proportional representation. This would only happen if a majority of MPs are willing to vote for it (or vote for a referendum on it). Yet many MPs are absolutely opposed to PR and would not support it in any circumstances.

So would Clare Short urge us to vote for an anti-PR candidate against a pro-PR candidate, if the latter might help create a hung parliament and then stop electoral reform?

I think there are a few details she needs to fill in, let me put it that way.

Comments

[Marc of North London]

Claire Short is perhaps preparing us for an endorsement of and then defection to the Liberal Democrats.

[Chris Carr]

So Clare Short is to fall on her sword again, albeit about 3 years to late! Here is a woman who had the audacity to oppose the Iraq war, but to hang on to her government post just to see how it all turned out! Now she has hung on to her cushy job as an MP, despite being outraged, for 3 years - you would too if you received £60k a year plus benefits and holiday breaks that are even better than than when you were at school! She has no shame though, she doesn't realise how much of a joke she is, and now she intends to stand as an 'Indie', wonderful. I', sure her constituents would love to know her crackpot ideas now she's freed from the comparative normality Tony Blair's Labour. It's funny, if she had such a concern about Tony Blair's policies, why is this the first time we've heard her voice them for nearly 3 years?

[Jeff]

A hung parliament won't solve her issue which really relates to the party and whip system. Imperfect as this is it is preferable to a hung parliament or PR - just look at Italy and Israel to see how a PR system puts power into the hands of the smallest parties. Is this really democracy? She seems blinded by her hatred of Blair etc. On second thoughts it's just her usual lack of judgement and logical analysys.

[william rees]

Clare Short is full of her own "EGO" thats all she has ever had to offer.Now she can continue earning nice fees from the media by being bitter and spitefull.She is a "sad " person.

[william rees]

Clare Short is full of her own "EGO" thats all she has ever had to offer.Now she can continue earning nice fees from the media by being bitter and spitefull.She is a "sad " person.

[John O'Byrne]

I hope it's not going to be a well-hung parliament!

[Joe Bolser]

Clare is, and I'm afraid I'm being a tiny bit insulting here, always was utterly nuts. Her magisterial accusations of Blairite arrogance always made me laugh; imagine the hubris, the unthinking, unblinking certitude of Clare Short PM! I don’t believe in parallel universes, but just imagine the horror…

But her dopey, rather dim-witted call for a hung parliament after the next election reveals new levels of delusion, self-importance and mind-fuzz.

Talking of which...

Dan, your boys are going to loose the next election too.

Sorry and all that, but you are going to have to accept it (when it comes), Clare Short irony or no.