UK Federation

Nobody wants to defend Britain’s voting system any more – but here’s why I will | Gaby Hinsliff The nail-biting Gorton and Denton byelection has shown the cracks in first past the post. I still don’t think proportional representation is the answer, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

A very valid critique of proportional representation; the correct mitigation to these problems is to focus on regional devolution and federal reform. Then we'll get PR pretty much with little drama and it will work as good as it does in Germany.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Map of a federal UK with 12 regions and nations based on the old NUTS1 classification.

Sorry to hijack this post but concerning your very valid critique of proportional representation; the solution is to focus on regional devolution and federal reform. Then we'll get PR pretty much with little drama and it will work as good as it does in Germany.

The better protection is regional devolution, federalism and electoral reform.

Two large countries with very little regional devolution or proportional representation. That France elects their President slows the advance of the far right or left. For UK, it's more cultural to reject extremism. But these things won't hold back central collapse forever.

Better than letting Russia continue the occupation, bombing the rest of Ukraine, no kids returned, no peace, surely?

If there were no other alternatives, it guaranteed peace and did not stop non-military attempts to win Cornwall back or find those kids, then sure. Wouldn't you?

Well, things happen you know. The future and all that. But that isn't part of the strategy anyway so no need to auto-distract.

The plan is solid. What alternatives are there?

Ultimately, the people should decide and that needs peace. Ukraine can pursue the matter peacefully, they can have their claim. Maybe Russia will reform, they all get a GFA and the issue is not so critical.

But in any case, this is the plan that will work. What are the alternatives?

Before writing off Trump's America, Europe should come up with a strategy.

1. Ukraine should stop forcing Russia out of the occupied territories.
2. NATO should offer Article 5 level security guarantees but otherwise stay off Ukrainian territory.
3. Europe should help defend Ukrainian civilian population and infrastructure from Russian drones and missiles.

NATO exists forever. Trump won't. The key is to come up with a plan that will work.

What are the alternatives?

1. Ukraine should stop forcing Russia out of the occupied territories.
2. NATO should offer Article 5 level security guarantees but otherwise stay off Ukrainian territory.
3. Europe should help defend Ukrainian civilian population and infrastructure from Russian drones and missiles.

If Russia really is on the edge, that just makes them even more dangerous. Europe would struggle because it has a bad command and support structure.

NATO is for ever. Trump isn't.

The key thing is to come up with a plan and strategy that will work.

Russia is more powerful than European NATO because they have one person in charge.

That unity is why USA is necessary for Article 5 to work.

No need to break with USA. On Ukraine, what we need is a good plan that will work.

Police chiefs call for cuts to number of forces in England and Wales Reduction from 43 forces to as few as 12 could save money and end ‘postcode lottery’ for crime victims, leaders say

...

...which of course doesn't even make sense in a world where there's a "reduction from 43 forces to as few as 12"; a force could include multiple LA's ...

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

In typical Starmerite fashion, they are trying to cover their arses.

"I will introduce new reforms so police are accountable to their local mayoralties or local councils."

i.e. "Police/Crime Commissioners did not have enough power so let's reduce their power even further..."

...

Police and crime commissioners to be abolished Home secretary says PCCs, in England and Wales, were ‘failed experiment’ – and scrapping them will save £100m over this parliament

"Police/Crime Commissioners did not have enough power so let's reduce their power even further..."

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Not really clear that trying to reverse it will stop Reform, I'm afraid.

I always thought "pride" was one of the seven sins. My old mum was telling me no one was proud of anything back in the day. That was frowned upon, like showing off and thinking you're better, was where being proud led you.

Funny how culture changes.

? Who's doing that?

Bit weird.

lol, you thought i might be a bot?

?

If the problem is kids getting around age verification with VPNs then it's obviously a neat solution.

Just have age verification for VPNs.

Option 3: More apartheid and ethnic cleansing (i.e the current situation, what there has been for years - and still is).

Option 4: Genocide of the Palestinians or forced expulsion into third countries with or without compensation).

Option 2: Palestinians become Israeli Arabs (and the Jews will likely lose democratic control of the Israeli government).

...

Option 1: Two state solution (will require a neutral force to secure, manage and deliver guarantees to both sides).

There needs to be a neutral force to secure the 2 state borders and deliver guarantees to both sides.

Otherwise Israel will do it and we see the results.

Don't understand why folk aren't talking about this - this is how we stop the conflict - and the Israeli alternatives are obviously much worse.

There needs to be a neutral force to secure the two state borders and deliver guarantees to both sides.

Otherwise Israel will do it and we see the results.

I don't understand why pro-Palestinians aren't talking about this - this is how we stop the conflict.