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The Prime Minister has rebuffed calls to overhaul Westminster’s voting system, despite MPs this week backing a backbench Bill to ditch First Past the Post and replace it with a more representative electoral system.
Starmer previously pledged to back electoral reform, saying during his campaign to become Labour leader in 2020 that “we’ve got to address the fact that millions of people vote in safe seats and they feel their vote doesn’t count.
“That’s got to be addressed.”
However, he has since dropped this commitment and it was not included in the Labour party’s 2024 general election manifesto.
Despite this MPs voted by 138 to 136 in favour of a bill brought forward by Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney on Tuesday for a fairer voting system, with more Labour MPs who took part in the vote backing PR than opposing it.
MPs from six parties (plus independents) backed this bill, including the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, Reform UK, Plaid Cymru, Traditional Unionist Voice, Independent MPs and 59 Labour MPs (to 50 against).
The Elections (Proportional Representation) Ten Minute Rule Bill passed its first hurdle, but will not progress, due to Starmer’s Government refusing to give it parliamentary time for further debate.
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Lib Dem leader Ed Davey pressed the PM on the issue this Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions, telling Starmer: “The Prime Minister has rightly spoken about the need to restore and rebuild the public’s trust in British politics. We believe a crucial part of that is reforming our electoral system to make it fairer and more proportional, and so do a majority of the British public.
“This House voted [on Tuesday] in favour of a bill for electoral reform put forward by the member for Richmond Park,” referring to Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney.
“Will the PM find Government time to make available, so we can consider this bill on electoral form and restore the public’s trust in our politics?” Davey added.
But PM Keir Starmer replied that proportional representation “is not our policy” and “we won’t be making time for it.”
“Can I just gently add that his party didn’t do too badly under the other system as it is?” – a nod to the Lib Dems’ seat haul under First Past the Post this July.
Ed Davey said he was “disappointed” by the reply.
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Responding to the vote on Tuesday, Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter, which supported the Bill said:
“In the wake of [this] result, it is time for action. Proportional Representation is not just a technical reform; it is a transformative change that will breathe new life into our democracy.
“Our current system too often silences voters, distorts outcomes, and discourages participation. With trust in politics critically low, we need institutions that bolster a citizen engagement, not that perpetuate feelings of alienation.
“We’re calling on the Government to listen to the public – 63% of whom want changes to our flawed voting system – and establish a National Commission for Electoral Reform to consider how we can rebuild trust in politics by creating a fairer, more democratic voting system in which all votes count equally.”
The Electoral Reform Society’s Chief Executive Darren Hughes noted: “While Sarah’s bill has a date for the next stage, it’s extremely unlikely that time will be found in parliament’s schedule. There is no doubt that the Government could find parliamentary time if they wanted…
“There are more and more calls for proportional representation every day, and those calls are winning. From Labour members two years ago at their conference, to the quarter of a million people that signed our petition for proportional representation, and now to MPs in Parliament. They can only ignore us for so long.”
After Tuesday’s vote, Labour MP Alex Sobel, Chair of the APPG for Fair Elections, said: “It’s fantastic news that MPs have voted in favour of looking at changing our voting system to one of Proportional Representation for general elections for the first time. This reflects a huge shift in opinion both across Parliament and amongst the general public.
“The Government should consider the central point of the bill and look at setting up a National Commission for Electoral Reform to recommend replacement to First Past the Post that makes every vote count equally.”
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Fresh Parliamentary Push
The development comes after a new parliamentary group made up of over 100 MPs launched a report pushing for urgent democratic reform, amid growing concerns about the integrity of Britain’s elections.
Backers of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Elections, launched by Open Britain and Fair Vote UK, say it represents Parliament’s biggest democracy reform coalition to date, with 109 members.
The group’s inaugural report, launched in Westminster last Monday, is dubbed “Free But Not Fair” and calls for three major reforms by PM Starmer:
- Creating a National Commission on Electoral Reform
- Strengthening rules around political funding and restoring the powers and independence of the Electoral Commission
- Requiring greater transparency from social media platforms on content moderation to clamp down on misinformation and disinformation
The launch comes following Donald Trump’s recent presidential election victory and growing concerns about the surge of the far-right in Western democracies.
There have been reports this week that Donald Trump backer and X owner Elon Musk is considering donating $100m to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which would be legal if done through Musk’s UK company. There is no cap on donations to UK parties, and donations can be made through UK-trading companies, even if the funds are from foreign sources under current loopholes.
Reform leader Nigel Farage MP has since told the BBC: “I’ve never solicited a donation from [Musk], and one has never been offered.” But he added: “Of course I’d accept money” from the US billionaire.
Democracy group Open Britain says polling shows a strong public appetite for political reform. Mark Kieran, CEO of Open Britain, said: “As polling for our report showed, the public are demanding change, and their message is clear: they want a political system that truly works for them – and they want it before the next general election.”
See how your MP voted on the PR bill here.
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