Calls for a National Commission pick up momentum

A record majority of the public now want to change the voting system for general elections. A National Commission on Electoral Reform is our APPG’s proposal for how the Government could engage with this issue now.

On Monday 15 September, the APPG for Fair Elections held a drop-in session to discuss the Terms of Reference for a National Commission, developed in consultation with constitutional experts. We were pleased to welcome more than twenty parliamentarians and their teams from across Parliament.

The for a National Commission on Electoral Reform is frequently being raised in parliamentary debates. Whether it’s when the Government published its proposals for democratic reform in July, when the House of Commons debated the Devolution Bill at the beginning of September, or during the Westminster Hall debate to mark the International Day of Democracy – MPs from across the House are urging the Government to get to grips with First Past the Post.

And beyond Parliament, the proposal for a National Commission on Electoral Reform is being discussed more and more by academics, experts and think tanks. The idea was recently discussed by David Klemperer (Constitution Society) on David Runciman’s podcast – and by the Electoral Reform Society. When Parliament returns after conference season, the APPG will keep working to continue building support for this important first step towards fair elections.