‘Doing politics differently’

Andy Burnham has never exactly hidden his views on electoral reform. Long before entering Downing Street, he had become an increasingly vocal advocate for changing the way Westminster elections are fought and won. Indeed, only earlier this year, I watched him make that case again.

At the Institute for Government’s one-day conference, while still Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham joined a panel by Zoom and provided three significant changes he would make to Britain – long before the idea of him becoming PM had gained any real momentum. Electoral reform was one of them. It was a reminder that this is not a new enthusiasm born of becoming Prime Minister; it is an argument he has been making for a significant amount of time.

Now, however, the question is no longer whether Andy Burnham believes First Past the Post is flawed. The question is whether, as Prime Minister, he is prepared to do something about it.

READ MORE: ‘Functional skills aren’t functioning’

The pressure is becoming difficult to ignore. A YouGov poll of parliamentarians found that 53% of MPs support establishing a National Commission on Electoral Reform, compared with 34 percent opposed. Among Labour MPs, support rises to 55 percent. Meanwhile, an amendment calling for such a commission has been signed by 185 MPs from eight parties, alongside independents.

That amendment has been championed by Labour and Co-operative MP Alex Sobel, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections. Sobel is also a founding member of Mainstream, the Labour network that has become closely associated with the political project around Burnham.

This makes the moment particularly interesting. Burnham came into Downing Street promising to do politics differently. There are many ways a Prime Minister can demonstrate that, but few would be as overt, or as consequential, as changing the system by which MPs are elected.

Become a friend of LabourList and join our community. Our friends support our vital non-factional work and get access to exclusive content and events. 

The case for looking at the system is also no longer confined to Westminster’s political class. The latest British Social Attitudes survey found that 53 percent of the public support Proportional Representation, up from 27 percent in 2011. The argument that electoral reform is some niche concern of political obsessives is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

But if Burnham does establish a National Commission, there is another challenge that must accompany it: communication.

Many people I know back home talk about politics in terms of feeling that their vote “doesn’t really matter”. That feeling should concern anyone who wants to rebuild faith in democracy.

Electoral reform cannot simply be a constitutional exercise conducted in Westminster committee rooms. If the Government eventually proposes Proportional Representation, it will need a sustained, national explanation of what is changing, why it is changing and what the benefits are.

This cannot be one announcement, one speech or one policy paper. It needs a consistent campaign to explain the rationale for reform and, crucially, to reconnect people who have become disengaged from politics with the democratic process.

Burnham has long argued that Britain’s political system needs to change. Now he has an opportunity to turn that conviction into action.

If he really intends to do politics differently, establishing a National Commission on Electoral Reform would be a significant place to start. The bigger task will be ensuring that, when reform comes, people understand not simply how their votes will work, but why their votes matter.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on TikTok, Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook. You can also write to our editor to share your thoughts on our stories and share your own. The best letters are published every Sunday.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • BECOME A FRIEND: If you enjoyed this, why not consider becoming a Friend of LabourList? Help sustain our journalism, and of course Friends do get benefits…
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].