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Why Make Votes Matter is proud to support Better!
By Make Votes Matter CEO Emma Harrison. Like a lot of people who campaign for fair votes, I've never been all that interested in the mechanism for its own sake. It's rare to find someone who grew up dreaming about D'Hondt formulas or STV ballots. What I care about is what a fairer, more proportional…
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Our message to Andy Burnham: Make electoral reform a priority
Today Andy Burnham officially became the new leader of the Labour Party. On Monday he’ll be sworn in as Prime Minister - our fifth in four years. Over and over again, First Past the Post gives power to governments most people didn’t vote for, poisons our political culture, and breeds instability. The situation is only…
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“You’re joking – not another one!” Why First Past the Post is to blame for Britain’s political chaos.
By Ana Oppenheim, Communications Manager at Make Votes Matter. "You're joking - not another one!” Those were the famous words of Brenda from Bristol who was vox popped by the BBC following Theresa May’s snap election announcement in 2017. I can’t help but hear the viral clip in my head every time it’s Prime Minister…
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Report Launch: What Could Future Electoral Systems Look Like?
Blog by Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter. This week, Make Votes Matter published a new report examining the electoral systems that could replace First Past the Post (FPTP). While discussions about voting systems can sometimes seem technical, they raise a fundamental question about the health of our democracy: does Britain's electoral system still…
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Do the Local Elections Strengthen the case for Electoral Reform? APPG for Fair Elections event with Sir John Curtice
By Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter. Last night I attended the APPG on Fair Elections panel discussion: “Do the local elections strengthen the case for electoral reform?” It was one of the most serious and revealing conversations about the future of British politics I’ve heard in some time. The standout contribution came from…
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Everyone is talking about PR. Again.
By Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter.For months there have been rumours about the return to Westminster of Andy Burnham. Talk of which seats might become vacant, who could be persuaded to stand down for the self-styled King of the North. Makerfield would be a tough seat for him to win, but right now…
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Local Elections Chaos: First Looks
By Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter. Right now, everyone is talking about the local council elections in England. Whether you’re trying to figure out what this means for potholes, bin collections and social care in your area, or what it means for local authority contracts, there’s no doubt these results are seismic. Chaotic,…
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Hungary and the dangers of winner-takes-all electoral systems
This blog is by Make Votes Matter volunteer Phoebe Purnell and reflects her own views. Hungary’s April 2026 election was widely seen as a turning point. After years of entrenched dominance by Viktor Orbán and Fidesz, the opposition once again faced the difficult task of trying to compete on uneven ground. This time, the outcome…
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I recently moved from Britain to America. Here’s the scary parallel I spotted
This blog is by Make Votes Matter activist Cormac Manning and reflects his own views.I recently moved from Britain to America. It's been an interesting time to do that, to put it mildly. There's so much different here, yet I can't help but be struck by a scary parallel. Whatever side of the Atlantic you're…
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Make Votes Matter at Liberal Democrat Conference
By Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter. As a cross-party, non-partisan organisation, we attend events across the country, and across the political spectrum, to champion Proportional Representation. Last weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Liberal Democrats’ Spring Conference in York, at a fringe event on electoral reform. One thing was clear…
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