Today's the day

After what seems like years of campaigning, we finally get to vote in the British election today. My prediction, for what it is worth, which isn't much, is that Blair will see a significant, but not fatally damaging, loss of seats.

What I'd like to see happen is the Liberal Democrats win the balance of power, or something very close to it, so that some form of proprtional representation would be introduced, making the electoral system a great deal fairer. Under the first past the post system only a tiny percentage of the population really decide the result; the change would make politicians far more representative of the views of the electors.

As for the House of Lords, I have the perfect solution. It has a long democratic pedigree, would not involve a conflict of powers with the Commons, and would produce a delightfully eccentric, interesting body: selection by lot.