Greens welcome Labour vote to support Proportional Representation

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26 September 2022

Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski has welcomed the news that Labour members have voted overwhelmingly to ditch the first past the post system (FPTP) and replace it with proportional representation (PR) at general elections.

Polanski said:

“It’s promising to see Labour members vote overwhelmingly to join with the rest of Europe and embrace modern, fair and proportional elections in the UK. However, it’s disappointing that Keir Starmer appears to remain unmoved by the democratic rights of his own members. 

“The Labour leadership needs to honour the wishes of members – as well as a growing number of unions and many Labour MPs – by ending their defence of a broken first past the post system. 

“Two party politics is long dead. We are in an era of multi-party politics, particularly for those who support progressive centre-left policies. It is in the interests of both Labour and the majority of the British public for their Party to embrace PR. 

“If Keir Starmer does not listen to his members and back PR, it will leave him ensuring future Tory victories. 

“We should have done away with the current completely undemocratic voting system long ago. As the former shadow chancellor, John McDonnell said today, ‘we can’t go on like this because the system is so unfair’, while Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, pointed out that PR has worked just fine for Wales.” 

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