Labour’s former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnall backs proportional representation:
On Wednesday evening, I’ll be speaking at The Socialist Case for PR – the launch of a motion calling for radical electoral reform as part of Momentum’s policy primary. The ballots will drop in the week that South Ribble Constituency Labour Party became the 200th CLP to come out in favour of proportional representation.
I agree with McDonnall — proportional systems are much more democratic than FPTP which is what we have now.
But I wonder whether Labour can be trusted to keep any promise they make on PR. The last time Labour gained power, in 1997, they promised a referendum on changing the voting system ot a proportional one. They reneged on this promise.
It’s almost as if when they are in opposition and powerless, they want PR, but as soon as they get power they think “Great, we have all the power now! Why should we share it with anyone else?”
The United Kingdomn has been talking about PR for over 100 years — the Representation of the People Act 1918 almost included a measure mandating STV for Commons elections, but reform has proven elusive.
i very much doubt that Westminster has the capacity of reform itself. I hope they do, but I will not be holding my breath. Instead I’d like to see Scotland leave this tottering useless edifice and go its own way.