Andy Burnham announces National Commission on Electoral Reform
The Prime Minister told the Labour conference in Liverpool he will launch a National Commission on Electoral Reform to review the Westminster voting system, pledging a manifesto commitment to change the electoral system at the next election.
Andy Burnham announced plans for a National Commission on Electoral Reform to review the voting system used for Westminster general elections, in his first leaders’ speech as prime minister at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Tuesday.
Burnham, a longstanding backer of proportional representation, warned first-past-the-post could “usher in a divisive government on 30 per cent of the vote or less”. Other parties would be invited to take part, he said, adding: “We will contest the next election with a manifesto commitment to change the electoral system so everyone’s vote counts and everyone’s voice is heard.” The Times
No replacement voting model has been chosen. Labour for a New Democracy says Burnham first endorsed the idea at its conference rally last year. It quotes APPG for Fair Elections chair Alex Sobel saying the commission “will make independent recommendations for how general elections should be run in modern Britain”. Labour for a New Democracy
Its polling claims 53% of people back a change to the voting system, 55% of Labour MPs and a majority of all MPs back a commission, and almost 200 MPs signed an amendment calling for it. Laura Parker of the group said: “This is fantastic news - and decisive leadership from a Prime Minister who understands we need to rebuild trust in democracy. Our voting system is bust.”
Sources
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