Disenfranchisement.

Patty Windsor is on BBC tv just now telling the talking head how she was approached, unsolicited, by the information officer regarding her vote. She was told to put an X in the box of the candidate that she wanted in the STV ballot paper. In doing this, Patty and her husband's votes became invalidated and contributed to the estimated 100,000 spoiled ballots that have made these election results dubious to say the least. An independent investigation will apparently be held. If it is as effective as the various 'independent' investigations commissioned by this Labour government then I won't be holding my breath. What clown thought it was a good idea to hold the two elections simultaneously? As Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Republic says, not fit for purpose. (If my deduction skills are up to scratch that is.)

I propose that the spoiled ballots are separated into FPTP and STV and analysed. If it transpires that a significant majority, if as I suspect, are the STV ballots then the STV-based election should be re-held. Democracy and voting are too important to leave 100,000 rightful voters without a say in the political process, especially when there is all the bleating about how the election suffered from a low turnout. Congratulations Electoral Commission et al, you've just succeeded in making it lower. Well done.