On Tue, 10 May 2011 19:54:52 +0100 Old Codger wrote :
I don't agree with that at all. All we know from FPTP is people's
first choice. If the elected MP gets less than 50% (which most do)
then all we can be sure of that most people don't want him/her.

We can be equally sure that even more people don't want any of the
other candidates.

This all assumes that want/don't want is a binary state, whilst faced
with a slate of candidates most people would rate them at something
other than 0: Cannot abide them or 10: I worship the ground they walk
on. If I rate the three on offer as 8, 7 and 2 and my preference isn't
elected, I'm going to end up with someone I'm not unhappy with or
someone I really do not respect.

--
Tony Bryer, Greentram: 'Software to build on' Melbourne, Australia
www.superbeam.co.uk www.eurobeam.co.uk www.greentram.com