Voting Reform Required

Proportional representation is needed for our democracy.

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Stuart Mitchell/@IncMonocle

Hello all and welcome back to Heaver News!

Thanks for the comments from paid subscribers in response to my previous article reflecting on the General Election results.

Yorkieeye gave this assessment:

“I think some nervousness set in about voting for Reform, although millions did, as they are an unknown and inexperienced quantity.

“But with high-profile MPs now in the Commons there will be plenty of opportunity to prove their metal and grasp of the issues.”

They also offered this assessment of our current voting system:

“Why we persist with FPTP is appalling for representation; originated in a time when only a handful of rich, landed men got the vote.

“Of course the problem is that every administration that has such success with the antiquated system loses their appetite for change.”

Whilst Zorro’s of the opinion that it will be:

“Interesting to see if Starmer and Davey put PR on the backburner for quite some time. I'm wondering when and where the first by-election will be.

“Whatever, we should calm down, have a summer. There's no call for PR for how many years?”

Concern about the current system continued from Mrs Bucket:

“4 million votes, just 4 seats for Reform. But the far-left LibDems, 3.5 million votes and 71 seats. What a joke. Lots of work ahead! (update, 5 seats, still outrageous).”

Whilst Hilary responded:

“Agreed with Mrs Bucket on the farce that is our current system of electing MPs into Parliament.

“LibDem loonies get less votes and more MPs, it’s absurd that millions of people don’t have representation in Parliament.

“However, Reform have their bridgehead and 4 seats is going to ‘get the party started’, even if it’s an uphill job.”

Of course in the end Reform managed to secure 5 seats. Even so, fair to say that electoral reform has rocketed up the agenda given the UK’s increasingly multi-party system.

There can be no doubt that First Past The Post is hopelessly outdated.

Indeed the 2024 General Election has just thrown up one of, if not the most disproportionate result in history.

Labour secured just under 34% of the vote but secured 411 seats - 63% of MPs with around a third of the vote.

Whilst Reform’s 14% of the vote - the third largest vote share of any party - only secured 0.8% of seats. Can anyone seriously defend that as fair or sensible?

Thankfully, Reform did breakthrough. So you can now expect Farage’s Reform group to campaign for fundamental change to the Westminster system. This is what to expect over the next few years.