The Tories introduced FPTP for mayoral and PCC elections in 2022, a change seen as an attempt to boost their chances of winning elections
Labour has decided to scrap the First Past the Post voting system for Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in a move MPs and campaigners have welcomed as recognition that FPTP is “not fit for purpose”.
The English Devolution and Empowerment Bill, which was published yesterday, has set out the government’s plans to scrap FPTP and bring back the more representative Supplementary Vote (SV) system.
Under the SV system, voters have a first and second preference vote. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote on first preferences, all but the top two candidates are eliminated and their second preferences are distributed to the remaining two candidates.
The Tories introduced FPTP for Mayoral and PPC elections in 2022, in a move that was considered a “stitch up” that would help them win elections.
Campaigners say the change to FPTP resulted in mayors being elected on very small shares of the vote, thereby “undermining their democratic mandates and eroding trust in the political system”.
In this year’s elections, mayors from all three parties were elected on a small share of the vote.
For instance, Labour won the West of England mayoralty on just 25% of the vote.
While the Conservative won in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with 28% of the vote.
Reform UK won the Hull and East Yorkshire mayoralty on 36% of the vote, and Greater Lincolnshire on 42% of the vote.
Campaigners have pointed out that last year’s general election result was the most unrepresentative in history, with Labour winning almost two thirds of the seats with just one third of the popular vote, and six out of ten voters (58%) ending up with an MP they did not vote for.
Alex Sobel MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections, said: “Since the Tories imposed First Past the Post on mayoral elections, it has failed to fairly represent voters, undermined the ability of mayors to speak for their whole communities, and therefore eroded trust in politics.
“By committing to changing this, the Government has wisely taken a step in the right direction – but First Past the Post is just as flawed when it comes to general elections. The Government should set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform to find a fair, representative way forward.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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