100,000 names for PR: let’s get fair votes on Parliament’s agenda

Author:
Josiah Mortimer, former Head of Communications

Posted on the 7th February 2017

Four months ago, an electoral reform supporter started a petition on the government’s e-petition site to introduce a proportional voting system for Westminster elections.

Today, it has over 60,000 signatures – and is growing by the day.

With eight weeks to go, this petition from Makes Votes Matter (and backed by us at the ERS) has a real chance of reaching the 100,000 needed to be considered for a Parliamentary debate.

We need around 700 signatures a day to be sure of getting there. It’s ambitious – but we think it can make it.

Alongside Chuka Umunna MP’s motion for debate on PR – which with nearly 70 MPs behind it, is gaining ground among his colleagues – we now need the biggest public push for fair votes to build the case for reform and keep up the pressure.

A debate in Westminster would put electoral reform back on the political agenda. It needs your help to get it over the threshold.

The petition reads:

To make votes matter, adopt Proportional Representation for UK General Elections

“The vast majority want PR. Our FPTP voting system makes Parliament unrepresentative. One party got 37% of the vote and 51% of seats, while 3 parties got 24% of the vote but share 1.5% of seats. FPTP violates the democratic principle of majority rule and causes problems like costly policy reversals.”

The petition goes on to say:

“There are tried and tested PR systems that keep the constituency link. They would make every vote matter equally, rather than allowing a minority of swing voters in a few marginal seats to pick the government.”

Please sign the petition today and share with your friends, family and colleagues.

Sign Petition

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