"But for any government to be able to carry out its manifesto it has to be elected"

And when Labour swept to power in 1997 it did so on the basis of a manifesto commitment to have a referendum on electoral reform:

"We are committed to a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons. An independent commission on voting systems will be appointed early to recommend a proportional alternative to the first-past-the-post system." From 1997 Labour Party Manifesto.

The"independent commission on voting systems" was apponted, and made recommendations - but the promised referendum was never held. But that manifesto made no mention of when it should be held, and there has been no repudiation in subsequent manifestos of the pledge to hold it.

This means that the promise to hold that referendum still stands - and if it were carried out, it would dramatically change the situation. It could save us from the unpleasant possibility of living under a Tory government, elected by a minority of the voters, for decades to come. For the rest of our lives for many of us.