A challenge for Henry Bolton is that he got the job with just 29.9% of the vote
Leadership elections really need a level of PR/AV or STV
So Henry Bolton has decided to ignore the vote no confidence from his executive and try to struggle on taking his case to the members.
One of the problems here is represented in the chart above showing the results from September election when he took over the role. As can be seen there were a lot of candidates and he ended up with the job on only 29.9% of votes cast.
It really is important that party leadership election rules ensure that the eventual winner is seen to have brought support even if that means that they’re the one that people are least opposed to.
Labour has a complex system based broadly on the alternative vote whereas the Tories have MPs choosing the final shortlist of two so that whoever wins the members ballot is going to secure more than 50% of the votes.
The LDs use STV though that hasn’t been necessary in the last two elections. Tim Farron won on a straight run off against Norman Lamb and Vince Cable, of course, got the job without having to face an opponent.
As far as I am aware, and I’m sure somebody will correct me if I’m wrong, UKIP is the only party which still runs leadership ballots on a first past the post bases period
What this means with Bolton’s position now being decided by the membership is that we have no real idea, based on the last result, just how much support he has.