Labour MPs: ‘We shouldn’t exploit broken electoral system – we need PR’

Last month, the House of Commons voted for Proportional Representation for general elections for the first time ever.

Following a very brief debate, a symbolic ‘Ten Minute Rule’ bill on the subject passed its first reading, with the backing of 138 MPs, including 59 Labour MPs.

The fact that this happened, and so soon in this parliamentary term, is an indication of the huge shift in opinion about how Britain runs its elections – across Parliament and the country at large.

While this was a historic first, the Ten Minute Rule bill is unlikely to be given parliamentary time to proceed any further. That’s why it’s hugely welcome that backbench MPs – led by Alex Sobel and other officers of the new APPG for Fair Elections – have secured a Backbench Business Debate in the Commons Chamber today.

It’s important that this issue is properly debated.

Labour won a stunning victory – but with the support of just one in three voters

Labour won a stunning victory and a landslide majority, but we did so with the support of just one in three voters. A strategy of prioritising vote efficiency paid off, but we cannot be content with exploiting a broken system. Millions of voters found themselves almost entirely unrepresented in Parliament.

The mismatch between what the British people voted for and what they got has never been greater. This is undermining trust in our political system and breeds alienation and distrust in politics and politicians.

READ MORE: ‘MPs have voted for PR – but it’s the government that must lead the way’

Even on a local level, just four out of ten people who turned out to vote got the candidate they voted for as their local MP. Six in ten got someone else – sending a signal to many voters that they have no real say over who speaks for them in Parliament. A record 554 MPs – 85% of us – were elected with less than majority support in their constituency.

First Past the Post has produced increasingly random results, less and less representative Parliaments, and majority governments elected on an ever-shrinking share of the vote, elected on steadily falling turnouts. If trends continue, we could see a party, even an extreme party, win a majority with less than a third of the votes cast.

This system isn’t working for voters. This debate in the House of Commons is not just about making the case for a different voting system which reflects our Labour values of fairness, equality and democracy.

Labour knows first past the post is bust

It is about supporting the government to develop a plan to address this issue. We need to begin the process of change well ahead of the next general election and that’s why we’re calling for the launch of a National Commission for Electoral Reform.

Labour knows First Past the Post is bust. This is shown by the overwhelming conference vote in favour of introducing PR, and the support of more than two-thirds of affiliated trade unions, more than 80% of the membership, and 400 CLPs. Labour’s official party policy, agreed in the run-up to the general election, is that: “the flaws in the current voting system are contributing to the distrust and alienation we see in politics”.

READ MORE: Labour voters back proportional representation over first past post in poll

Recent polling from Survation found that two thirds of people want the government to address these flaws in the voting system before the next general election. And just this month, YouGov reported its highest ever public support for changing to PR, following a similar finding of record, majority support by the British Social Attitudes survey last year.

By establishing a National Commission, the government can get on the front foot and show it is serious about addressing our unrepresentative voting system – and stem the rise of disengagement and distrust in politics. This would be an opportunity to bring the public, as well as experts, into a conversation about how voters are best represented – and propose a fair and equal voting system fit for modern Britain in which everyone’s vote and voice counts.

Read more on Rachel Reeves’ growth plans:

• ‘If we ducked tough choices for growth, Britain’s spiral of decline would continue’
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• ‘Tearing up regulations or bending the knee to billionaires won’t deliver growth’
• Reeves just gave absent Miliband an airport he wants, not just one he doesn’t
• Heathrow debate: ‘A third runway would shred Britain’s green credibility’
• Heathrow debate: ‘Third runway Labour’s trump card for trade and growth’

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