Kenneth Clarke and P.R.

Kenneth Clarke seems to be changing my views on Proportional Representation! Not that he's said a word about it as far as I know, but because of what he is saying on crime.
Now, I have always been concerned about the fact that you can get a number of small, one issue groups as a result of PR and in order to form a government, some of these invariably end up being part of the eventual coalition and can have a disproportionate influence on policy.

However, virtually every opinion poll on the subject has suggested that a majority of people in this country would like to see the return of Capital Punishment.  Those of us who were around at the time that Capital Punishment was abolished will remember that we were assured that those convicted of murder, and who would have been executed, would go to prison for life - which is why they get this fictitious "life" sentence which now means, in practice, just a few years (and less if Kenneth Clarke has his way).

Thus there would seem to me to be quite a high probability of a single issue party with the aim of restoring Capital Punishment, not only standing for election, but getting some seats under PR, particularly as the present parties are not only opposed to Capital Punishment, but it would seem opposed to any punishment whatsoever.

And bringing it back would "Kill Two Birds with one Stone" - The EU have said they would throw out any member who re-introduced Capital Punishment; another very good reason for doing so!