Extrapolating from the by-election, pure PR would give UKIP around 6% of the seats at Westminster if such a system were to be used. 6% represents about 39 seats. (If my arithmetic hasn't failed me - said he, doubting himself profoundly!)The proposed system of alleged 'PR' on offer is called Alternative Voting and is in effect a variation of First Past The Post which might stop some less popular candidates winning as you cast more than one vote in a single constituency.
The uses for AV are virtually nil. For UKIP and smaller parties - it gives us NOTHING.
There is a system called AV+ what many Lib Dems USED to want and would serve fairness properly.
They treacherously abandoned it in order to gain a little power!
AV is only a gesture which, as I understand it, may result in 'ganging up' of 2 parties on a the one with the most votes, currently in a seat.
Perhaps worth a look on Wikipedia:
AV http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting
AV+ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_Vote_Top-up
Naturally, UKIP's vote would be much higher - as in EU elections - if we were not considered to be 'a wasted vote'.
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