‘Labour must confront the crisis of first past the post before it’s too late’

Fourteen years of austerity, infighting and scandal. The UK worse off on every conceivable measure, from our international standing, to our waterways, to the NHS. That is the legacy this Labour government inherited, and it is rising to the challenge of mending. Setting the country on the right track will take time. But that is time none of us have when First Past The Post (FPTP) threatens chaos for our politics and our democracy.

Voters are less likely than ever before to trust in our democratic process. They are sick of a Westminster political system that feels remote, old fashioned and, at times, toxic. Just 12% of people now trust political parties to put the country first, a record low. They are turning away from the status quo, in all directions. The UK’s electorate is fragmented like never before – in much of the country, elections are now a five-horse race. In such circumstances, FPTP is fast becoming an irresponsible gamble with the country’s future, with The Economist recently describing the voting system as a ”Slot Machine”. Far from guaranteeing strong, trusted governments, Westminster’s voting system has created a facade of stability, behind which British politics is teetering on the brink.

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As the party of fairness, equality and democracy, Labour have recognised that FPTP is unfair and contributing to the record levels of distrust and alienation we see in politics. We know it is undemocratic for MPs and governments to take power on ever-smaller shares of the vote. We know that political equality at the ballot box is inextricably linked to equality at work, at home and at school. Across the Labour movement there is a growing and united chorus of people stating that our democratic system must be reformed to survive. Many of our colleagues from across the party spoke at the Labour for a New Democracy rally at Labour Conference. Many dozens more — like us — are members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections, the largest group in parliament. Support for electoral reform unites Labour Conference, the vast majority of Labour members and trade unions and most of our colleagues in Parliament.

And it’s not just Labour. Among the public, sixty percent of people now support electoral reform, the highest level ever. That includes a majority of voters from every political party. There is growing expert consensus too that Westminster’s outdated electoral system must be reformed, with leading academics like Professor Rob Ford calling on the government to examine Westminster’s flawed voting system. And last month business leaders warned that an increasingly erratic political system could spell economic chaos, undermining one of Labour’s core missions to deliver growth.

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To ignore all this and to bet the legacy of this Labour government – and all the progress we’ve made – on a dysfunctional and outdated voting system would be a missed opportunity.

The government’s proposals, outlined in the Representation of the People Bill, this week are welcome. Labour is right to extend the vote to sixteen year olds. It is right to address the influence of foreign donors in our politics. It is right to seek to ensure everybody is automatically registered to vote. But these changes alone are not enough. Not after a decade and a half of democratic decline under the Conservatives. Not when we know First Past The Post is about to hit a tipping point, where we could see extreme MPs and governments elected on less than 30% of the vote. Right now, Labour has the chance to lead this conversation and head off this issue. There is no time for complacency.

Almost two years ago, the country voted for change. That appetite has not diminished. We must not waste this opportunity – Labour must be bold in our response to the democratic crisis we are now facing and fix the foundations of our politics. We have led the charge for democratic reform and fair, proportional parliaments across the UK before. We must do so again. Parliament should open a full and honest debate on the future of our electoral system, grounded in evidence rather than habit.

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A National Commission on Electoral Reform would give the country the forum it needs – a rigorous, independent process to examine the strengths and weaknesses of First Past the Post and to recommend a credible, proportional alternative.

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