Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Electoral Reform

08 June 2020 · 3 other contributors

Opened by Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife

Democracy & Elections

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Wendy Chamberlain raised concerns about electoral reform in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The MP argued that the first-past-the-post electoral system is unfair and unrepresentative, leading to disproportional seat allocation.
  • Wendy Chamberlain highlighted the disparity in parliamentary representation for smaller parties like the Greens and the Brexit Party.
  • The Minister defended first-past-the-post, citing its ability to maintain strong constituency links and provide clear accountability.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife

The MP argued that the first-past-the-post electoral system is unfair and unrepresentative of voters' preferences, leading to disproportional outcomes in terms of seat allocation. She highlighted the disparity between vote share and parliamentary representation for smaller parties like the Greens and the Brexit Party. Wendy Chamberlain emphasised the need for a more proportional voting system to foster cooperation and consensus in governance, particularly as the UK faces challenges such as climate change and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The speech also touched on the potential benefits of proportional representation systems seen in other countries, where they promote greater diversity in government composition and pluralistic decision-making.

Other contributors (3)
  • Layla Moran Lib Dem Central Aylesbury

    Asked Wendy Chamberlain if she agreed that England should follow the Scottish model of allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.

  • Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem St Austell and Newquay

    Agreed with Wendy Chamberlain's view that current politics is overly divisive, hindering consensus-based governance.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Suggested that both systems have merits and highlighted the benefits of proportional representation in Northern Ireland.

Government Response

Chloe Smith

The Minister defended first-past-the-post, emphasising its ability to maintain strong constituency links and provide clear accountability. She noted that while a referendum rejected changing the system to an alternative vote, there is still room for improving electoral integrity through modernization of laws and increased transparency in political campaigning. The Minister also addressed the age of voting eligibility at 18, arguing this aligns with broader legal frameworks, although she acknowledged devolved nations have the autonomy to set their own voting ages.

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