[vidarh]

None of the people I discussed this with would ever consider either Respect or the BNP. They were Labour or Lib Dem voter. It was a widespread sentiment in my circles.

I think you're massively underestimating just how many people were angry about it. I know people who voted Lib Dem over their promise of PR who have woved never ever to vote for them again.

[ZeroGravitas]

There are valid reasons to be angry with the Lib Dems and vow never to vote for them again, but vowing to not vote for them again over AV is illogical. They have always wanted PR, they got a vote on AV as a conpromise which is the closest anyone ever got to achieving it, and there's no other party that is pro-PR that has any chance of getting power under the current system (except maybe some regional parties and they're actually working against their own interests by supporting PR). The current system also makes it a requirement to vote tactically so ruling out voting for any party is an extreme position.

On the other hand, the current system also means many votes are wasted and maybe your friends know thier vote wasn't going to matter anyway, bit they prpbably sgouldnt encourage others who moght be on different circumsrances.

[vidarh]

It was a surrender because they cared more about power than about PR in the end.

As it stands the Labour membership is overwhelmingly in favour of PR and it only failed at Labour Conference this year because the unions did not have a position, so odds are that before the next election Labour Conference will have mandated a pro-PR position for Labour. Given almost all the smaller parties also supports it, it will then be a real possibility.