Do the Local Elections Strengthen the case for Electoral Reform? APPG for Fair Elections event with Sir John Curtice

May 22, 2026

Blogs, Latest news

Do the Local Elections Strengthen the case for Electoral Reform? APPG for Fair Elections event with Sir John Curtice

Over the past few hundred years, our society and democracy have developed and changed beyond recognition. However, our voting system has failed to keep pace. We believe that First Past the Post has no place in a modern democracy, and should be replaced by a system of Proportional Representation. If you agree, sign the petition. If you want to know why, read on:

Minority rule

The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it's the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we've had single-party 'majority' governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn't vote for and don't agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.

Proportional Representation means majority rule, not minority rule. With PR, any government must have a majority of votes behind it - so in order to govern, a party needs to either work collaboratively with other parties, or persuade most of us to vote for it.

Demand Real Democracy

The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.

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 Sir John Curtice, whose forensic analysis of the local election results carried a stark warning for every political party.

“If at the same time your vote goes down and becomes more geographically spread, the system will murder you.”

Rigourously non-partisan, Curtice was not making a party political argument. He was describing a structural problem with First Past the Post itself, and the numbers are becoming impossible to ignore. As Curtice explained, we are now entering an era of unprecedented fragmentation in British politics.

Professor Tim Bale, reflected that: “We are looking at a very, very fragmented result. The Conservative and Labour share of the vote is down to a little more than 30%. Half of what we would expect.”

For decades, defenders of First Past the Post argued that while imperfect, the system at least produced stability. It rewarded broad coalitions and delivered decisive outcomes but what happens when the electorate no longer behaves like a two-party system?

Bale again: “First Past the Post has always been an unfair system, but it’s been a system that historically has benefitted Conservatives and Labour… but now we have a very different picture, we have a five-way split of votes.”

That matters because First Past the Post is not simply about how many votes a party wins. It is about where those votes are distributed. A party whose support becomes thinner and more geographically dispersed can see millions of votes translate into very few seats. Another can pile up concentrated victories while lacking broad national support. The result is growing distortion between how people vote and how Parliament looks.

And this no longer threatens just smaller parties. The old assumptions that protected Labour and the Conservatives are beginning to unravel too . As Professor Bale warned: “The next election could prove what a weird system this is and create a very strange outcome.”

That warning hung heavily over the room. Indeed, one of the most striking aspects of the discussion was not simply the panel itself, but the questions from MPs afterwards. Increasingly, some parliamentarians themselves are asking whether we can really afford to wait until after the next general election before addressing the voting system.

Because if the current trends continue, the next election could produce a Parliament that satisfies almost nobody: distorted, fragmented, unstable and lacking clear democratic legitimacy. What was once dismissed as a niche constitutional issue is rapidly becoming a question of democratic resilience.

And this debate is no longer confined to traditional reform campaigners. Today, The Guardian reported comments from Andy Burnham that amount to one of the clearest endorsements yet from a major political figure for electoral reform.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Burnham said:

“I do think there needs to be reform to the electoral system to enable less point-scoring, more problem-solving – that’s what I think we need. Less short term, more long term.”

That captures the heart of the issue. Electoral reform is not about helping one party over another. It is about creating a political system capable of reflecting modern Britain, a country that is diverse, politically fragmented and increasingly impatient with adversarial tribalism.

The old electoral system was built for a different age. British politics has changed; the voting system has not. But we need to ensure that there is legitimacy for the change and Sir John warned that “If you haven’t done the groundwork before the moment of political opportunity then you won’t seize it effectively… if you can run a commission… you’ll be in a better position.”

So, if you haven’t already, make sure your MP has signed the amendment for a National Commission on Electoral Reform!

Similar articles

Blogs, Campaign updates, Latest news

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…

Blogs, Campaign updates, Labour, Latest news

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…

Blogs, Latest news

“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…

Blogs, Grassroots-cat

Does the voting system influence attitudes towards elections? Lessons from Denmark.

By Young Make Votes Matter volunteer Emma Hansen. Two months before the November 2025 local elections in Denmark, candidates and manifestos were already a common conversation amongst my friends in Copenhagen. As a 24-year-old who grew up in England, and moved to Copenhagen 18 months ago, I was surprised at the engagement and excitement for…

Blogs, Campaign updates

Frustration in Makerfield at a system no longer fit for purpose

By Reuben Bance, Fundraising Coordinator at Make Votes Matter. Heading North on a train to Wigan on a cloudy Saturday morning would normally be a mundane affair; a journey to see family, or to meet up with an old friend from university. But this is a Saturday morning in early June, so the context is…

Blogs, Campaign updates, Latest news

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…