At least 45 Labour MP/MEPs don’t seem to understand electoral systems

Pete has an entry covering the outcome of the British Labour party leadership election result but I’m fascinated by senior members of that party who voted but decided to limit the full potential of their ballot. 45 Labour MP/MEPs declined to use their transferable vote option, many others didn’t use it in full. That may indicate absolute commitment to their preferred candidate, it also seems to indicate an element of political naivety. Those of us with an interest in Irish politics are fully aware of just how important transferred votes can be and will often look well beyond our preferred option to making an impact on the vote further down a ballot paper– a focus on ensuring the least worst outcome. This idea seems alien to a sizeable number of people in Labour’s top tier – they plumped (gave a No.1 and stopped) while many more limited their transfer to a 2nd choice.

I’m at a loss to explain how an MP or MEP could have an opinion on who should lead Labour but have no opinion on who would be the next best placed to lead if their preferred candidate fails to be selected.

Of the candidates only the Millibrands gave 2nd preferences and then only to their sibling, the rest plumped – that is understandable. Harriet Harman, Deputy Leader, and Gordon Brown didn’t cast a vote – that is understandable but 45 senior members of Labour decided to cast a No.1 vote and then ceased to have an opinion:

Beckett
Bell
Bloomfield
Bradshaw
Buck
Cairns
Cooper
Dakin
Danczuk
Darling
Dowd
Dromey
Eagle
Fitzpatrick
Flint
Goodman
Harris
Hodge
Johnson
Kendall
Lazarowicz
Mahmood
Martin
McDonagh
McFadden
McGovern
McKinnell
Moraes
Murphy
Osborne
Phillipson
Primarolo
Qureshi
Raynsford
Roy
Ruddock
Seabeck
Sheerman
Sheridan
Skinner
Skinner
Thornberry
Winnick
Winterton
Woolas

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