http://www.davidford.org/articlearchive.php Recent Press Articles from David Ford MLA, Leader of the Alliance Party en-GB David Ford MLA, Leader of the Alliance Party http://www.davidford.org/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2012 David Ford MLA, Leader of the Alliance Party 2012-02-10T15:06+00:00 United Kingdom http://www.davidford.org/articles/000003/the_pms__can_its_members_now_show_mutual_concern.html The recent problems of the Presbyterian Mutual Society illustrate the fragility of the global economic system and its effects in every part of the world. They illustrate that no institution is immune if enough people panic enough - or are greedy enough. It is now a key question whether the society can demonstrate the virtues of the mutual model for financial institutions in the future. 2009-01-05T09:00+00:00 http://www.davidford.org/articles/000002/multimember_electoral_areas_as_simple_as_1_2_3.html One of the most pervasive myths about the crude Simple Plurality (First Past the Post) electoral system beloved of so many politicians in the United Kingdom is that there is a unique link between an MP and his (its rarely her) constituents. The MP, we learn, is so dedicated to his constituents' welfare that he is capable of working on behalf of each one of them, regardless of their political opinions, or lack of them. Regardless, even of the issue that concerns them. Indeed, many urban MPs would claim this special one-to-one relationship even though their constituents are divided into wards which largely return three Councillors (mostly from the same party). 2008-11-18T11:00+00:00