Don't get your hopes up for electoral reform within one parliament.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

Was the 2010 election the turning point: the moment when the two party system was finally broken? It all depends now on how the Liberal Democrats play their hand . Over the last 50 years their share of the vote has dramatically increased, from 3% in the 1950s to 23% now, while their share of seats has grown painfully slowly, to 20 seats in 1992, 62 in 2005, and 57 now. Can they use this pivotal moment to change the voting system and usher in the multi-party system which is found in most other parliamentary democracies?

Supporters of electoral reform assume it is simply a matter of political will: of persuading one of the major parties to …