The calls for a debate on our voting system grow louder every day. More people are getting engaged and realising that First Past the Post simply doesn’t represent the will of the people.
In fact, there was so much commentary this month, that we didn’t have space to give you every story, but here are the top lines and stories from the UK, Parliament and trade unions.
Inequality and the two-party system
Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee has been writing about the need to change our voting system to address inequality. In her article Want to stop Farage with your vote? At the moment you can’t – and Starmer must fix that she said; “The primacy of a few voters in a few marginals has profoundly distorted the way we live. Our exceptional inequality, among the worst in the developed world, is exacerbated by our two-party system.”
In her column, Polly references research from Compass Lifting the Lid on Britain’s Pressure Cooker Politics: How Inequality and Neoliberal Capture Broke First Past the Post – Compass.
MPs hear about need for proportional representation, while others call for it
Giving evidence to the Representation of the People Bill committee, Dr. Jessica Garland, Director of Policy and Research at the Electoral Reform Society said;
“Asked by the democracy minister how the bill was keeping pace with an ever-changing world, I shared concerns that, by not tackling the voting system, it was not keeping pace with our dramatically changing electoral environment – how this new environment means First Past the Post electoral system is increasingly failing to deliver for voters. We cannot rebuild confidence in democracy without addressing that disconnect.”
As we know, electoral reform is not a left-right issue with politicians and voters across the political spectrum supporting it. Writing in The House magazine, Luke Akehurst MP said:
“To become a modern representative democracy, Westminster needs proportional representation (PR).” He continued: “PR is a necessary reform to ensure that our increasingly multi-party politics translates into a representative parliament.”
Scott Arthur MP writing in Labour List said:
“The argument for First Past the Post (FPTP) has traditionally rested on two simple claims: it delivers strong governments with decisive mandates, and it prevents extremist politics, and politicians, from getting a foothold in our institutions. After a decade and a half of chaos – in large part under huge Conservative majorities – and with the hard-right in Parliament, it’s fair to say these claims are looking increasingly dubious.”
The Oxford Mail reported that Olly Glover MP called for a national commission on electoral reform. He said:
“To ensure the newly enfranchised 16- and 17-year-olds do not fall into the same democratic despair felt by so many, I hope the Minister will support the APPG for Fair Votes’ call for a national commission into electoral reform.”
Former Assistant General Secretary of Unite joins our Steering Group
Membership of Politics for the Many continues to grow and are pleased to welcome Tony Burke, former Assistant General Secretary of Unite, to our Steering Group. If you are a member of an unrepresented trade union and interested in joining the Steering Group, please get in touch. You don’t need to be a member of a political party, only a member of a trade union.
This year we are planning to be at CWU conference in Bournemouth (10-11 May) and GMB Congress in Blackpool (7-11 June). We have motions in favour of electoral reform tabled at both conferences.
We would like to say thank you to all those who tabled a motion for their union conference in support of proportional representation.