""there is an unnown number of people who might have voted for other parties, but didn't because they felt there was no point and that it would be a waste of a vote which ultimately might allow the party they hate the most into power.""

That is the best reason I have heard to date for voting against AV.

It will re-inforce the already current tendency to vote against rather than for any party or policy, the kind of negative thinking which can easily produce entirely unwanted results, such as for instance BNP gaining Parliamentary seats.

""I also think its right that the winning candidate should have a majority of over 50%.""

Let's not forget that this fifty percent is only fifty percent of those who choose to vote, so disabuse youselves of the idea that you will be seeing any governments which are backed by fifty percent of the population, or even candidates backed by over fifty percent of constituents. That concept is straight out of Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Don T.