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The Government has insisted that Prime Minister Andy Burnham continues to support electoral reform – and has committed to meeting MPs to review proposals for change.
The pledge came during the third reading of the Representation of the People Bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening.
It followed an amendment, backed by 193 MPs across parties, being ruled out of scope by the Deputy Speaker. It was not called during the debate on the Government’s flagship Representation of the People Bill. That’s despite backers arguing it was supported by more MPs than any other amendment tabled in this Parliament.
Ministers have instead offered talks on changing the voting system. Democracy Minister Florence Eshalomi told MPs that Andy Burnham “remains committed to electoral reform”, while warning it was “premature to legislate now for one approach.”
She has offered to meet MPs from across the House to work up “a strong proposal” and discuss next steps.
Fifteen MPs, eleven of them Labour, made the case for a National Commission on changing Westminster’s First Past the Post voting system during the debate.
Following pressure from Labour MPs and progressive opposition parties in the debate, Minister Eshalomi said: “The Government’s priority is a politics that works for all people in all places, not some people in some places. The Prime Minister remains committed to electoral reform as a way of supporting that objective.
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“However, we must be honest, this is a complex constitutional matter and it is premature to legislate now for one approach. I would be very happy to meet with many Members from across the House to hear their views, and look at how we can work on a strong proposal and discuss the next steps.”
Outside Parliament, activists and representatives from Make Votes Matter, Compass and Unlock Democracy gathered behind a banner reading “Wake Up Westminster” and triggered 34 alarm clocks simultaneously – representing the 34% vote share that delivered Labour a landslide majority in 2024. They were joined by Labour MP Clive Lewis.
And on Thursday, representatives from Make Votes Matter and Compass were expected to deliver an open letter to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, signed by more than 20,000 people, calling for a National Commission on Electoral Reform to design a new voting system for the UK.
Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter, said: “Just last year, Andy Burnham described proportional representation as ‘an idea whose time has come’. Now he has the opportunity to turn his longstanding commitment to fair votes into action.
“Our current voting system leaves millions without a voice in Parliament and allows entire communities to be ignored by Westminster. We already know that the Prime Minister is able to talk the talk: now he needs to show courage where it matters and actively push for this much needed change.”
Speaking at last September’s Labour Conference, Burnham said: “There’s nothing more unstoppable, is there, than an idea whose time has come. And PR’s time has definitely come… I’m here to endorse the call of Labour for a New Democracy for a National Commission to be set up in this parliament — and a manifesto commitment to a system of proportional representation to be introduced into Westminster elections in the next parliament.”
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The amendment, tabled by Labour’s Alex Sobel MP as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections, was ruled out of scope of the Bill and not put to a vote.
It had been signed by 193 MPs over its lifeti…