Andy Burnham is seeking to change the method of electing Members of Parliament in the UK. This Prime Minister promised this week to present proposals to abolish the 'First-Past-The-Post' voting system that has been used in UK general elections since 1884. His aim is to provide greater political stability and a fairer system for all voters.
Polls and Reactions
A poll conducted by Public First before Burnham's announcement showed that 57% of respondents consider the 'First-Past-The-Post' system to be a 'mostly' or 'completely' fair method for making electoral decisions. This poll indicates that the majority of voters from different parties share this view.
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Need for Change in the Electoral System
At the same time, the poll showed that some voters prefer a proportional representation system that links the number of parliamentary seats for each party to its total votes nationwide. Seb Vreed, director of the Public First poll, stated that 'most people do not spend much time thinking about how to elect Members of Parliament and generally believe that the current system is fair.' He added that Burnham needs to provide compelling reasons to voters to gain their support for his proposals.
In the 'First-Past-The-Post' system, any candidate who receives the most votes in their constituency is elected, even if they do not achieve a majority of votes. This can lead to parties gaining power that have relatively little public support. In the last election, the Labour Party won 63% of parliamentary seats with 34% of the votes, which was the most disproportionate result in UK history.
In his speech to Labour Party members in Liverpool, Burnham said that recent fluctuations in UK politics, as the seventh Prime Minister of the country in the last 10 years, have made the need for a new system essential. He stated: 'If we continue in this way and open the door of Number 10 to a divisive government with less than 30% of the vote, we have all failed in our public duties.'
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