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Dear John,


On behalf of the APPG for Fair Elections, I am pleased to share our Terms of Reference for a National Commission on Electoral Reform (NCER).


The First-Past-the-Post voting system is under growing strain as British politics experiences unprecedented fragmentation and volatility. This threatens to produce increasingly chaotic and unrepresentative election results, further undermining trust in politics.


It can even permit extreme parties to secure a Parliamentary majority with just thirty percent of the vote. It’s clear why a record 60% of voters now want to change the voting system, according to the latest British Social Attitudes survey.


A National Commission on Electoral Reform is our proposal for how the Government could engage with this issue now.

This Terms of Reference document, developed in consultation with constitutional experts, is a ready to go plan to independently review how Parliament is elected, promote a national conversation, and build consensus on a new way forward.


The National Commission would present Parliament with a set of carefully evidenced final recommendations within twelve months of launch.


The document includes an Officer’s introduction from myself and cross-party colleagues, Lisa Smart MP, Ellie Chowns MP and Lord Balfe.


That our APPG is the largest in Parliament is testament to the fact that more MPs than ever recognise the urgent need for a fair, proportional voting system.


If we are to secure this sooner rather than later, it is vital that we use opportunities like the Government’s forthcoming Elections Bill to push for real progress.


We believe campaigning for a focused, time-limited commission is the most likely way to achieve this. I hope we can count on your support.


Alex Sobel

MP for Leeds Central and Headingley

Chair, APPG for Fair Elections

From the Open Britain Team:


Alex Sobel MP and his colleagues on the APPG for Fair Elections offer a straightforward, well-researched, and promising plan to get electoral reform on the Government’s docket. With a fresh democracy bill forthcoming, we’ve never been closer to achieving a huge victory for our political system.


Labour voted for electoral reform at its 2022 conference. The party’s policy forum acknowledges that First-Past-The-Post drives disillusionment and distrust. Keir Starmer must act and embrace the National Commission for Electoral Reform as a fair, pragmatic, and inclusive way to repair this obviously broken system – and heed the concerns of his party and the country at large.  


Please give the National Commission for Electoral Reform Terms of Reference document a read and consider supporting us if you believe, as we do, that Britain’s democracy deserves better.


Yours,


Open Britain Team