Since World War II, every single developed country with a winner takes all voting system like ours has on average had a parliament that is well to the right of its own voters
“Since World War II, every single developed country with a winner-takes-all voting system like ours has on average had a parliament that is well to the right of its own voters.”
The fact above is just one of the findings of our brand new report – Peterloo 200: the path to Proportional Representation.
Published jointly with the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform to mark the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre, the report makes the case that, throughout history, economic justice has always depended on equal access to democratic rights.
Yet, in the UK we still do not have democratic equality. First Past the Post means our votes vary wildly in value depending on where we live and who we vote for.
Drawing on academic research, we show that democratic inequality consistently benefits the right: not only in the UK but in every single developed country with a similar electoral system.
Leading political scientists explain why this is the case and set out the disastrous effect that it has had on our society and other societies around the world.
In 18 of the last 19 general elections, most votes went to parties to the left of the Conservatives, yet the Tories have been in power for 63% of this time.”
In contrast, Proportional Representation has actively created better economic equality, environmental action, economic democracy, trade union rights and diversity in politics.
It’s official: when in government, the Labour Party has tragically kept in place a voting system that disproportionally empowers the right. The consequence is what we see today: one of the most unequal societies anywhere in the developed world
The Labour Party’s support for First Past the Post has been a grave mistake. Instead of empowering the many, it has advantaged the right, entrenched social inequality, and inflicted serious harm on the communities we represent
In a special introduction to Peterloo 200, these points are endorsed by a group of seriously renowned academics. Countries that keep First Past the Post should expect to see more right-wing governments in the future, greater inequality, slow and ineffective climate action, errosion of workers rights, and parliaments that don’t reflect the diversity of the population.