Britain’s two-party system has been weakening for decades. In the 1950s, the average share of the vote won by Labour and the Conservatives combined was 94%. By the 1970s, it had fallen to 80%. In 2024, at 57%, it reached its lowest level ever.

Why First Past the Post can’t cope with Britain’s multi-party politics

Britain’s two-party system didn’t just weaken this May. It broke. With it have gone the political conditions First Past the Post requires to work properly.

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Big news - it looks like we have a new Democracy Minister. Congratulations to Florence Eshalomi MP! She’ll soon face a crucial decision: whether to make the Representation of the People Bill truly transformative for our democracy.

Our CEO Tom Brake recently enjoyed Ron Bailey's new book 'Institutionalised Deceit: Taking the Lid off Westminster Governance'. It's a thoughtful, first-hand account from someone who spent decades campaigning for change in Westminster.

How does our voting system work, and what are the alternatives? Come along to the next Use Your Voice session for an introduction to voting systems, with time for discussion and questions. 📍 Kensington Central Library or online 🗓 Thursday 10 September 🕡 6.30–7.45pm buff.ly/Vg5G6u8

In his first 100 days, Andy Burnham can put the interests of voters, instead of donors’, back at the centre of politics. Announcing a cap on all political donations would show voters that the age of super-rich donors buying political influence is over.

Burnham's first 100 days: five steps to “a new politics”

Andy Burnham has spoken repeatedly about the need for a different kind of politics. His first 100 days as Prime Minister will shape whether that promise becomes reality.

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There is no good reason why registering to vote in Britain is more difficult than in most other comparable democracies. MHCLG’s new ministerial team must ensure automatic voter registration is properly up and running in time for the next general election.

Takeaways from the Parliamentary Roundtable on Automatic Voter Registration — Unlock Democracy

Parliament should represent the voters – all the voters. That is impossible while an estimated 6-8 million eligible people remain missing from the electoral register, disproportionately young people,…

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“Proportional Representation aims to produce a parliament that more closely reflects how people voted, allowing voters to back their preferred party without worrying as much about tactical voting.”

How could Britain look under proportional representation? See the results for your area

These visualisations from exclusive polling modelling show how the UK parliament could change under different voting systems

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The new Prime Minister wants a new politics. Here's how he can set about it. 1. Launch a commission on electoral reform 2. Set a higher standard for public life 3. Lift the veil on lobbying 4. Cap political donations 5. Be honest about the trade-offs That simple. buff.ly/gFO0GDV

There’s no doubt the hereditary peers were democratically indefensible. Their expulsion was long overdue. Nonetheless it would be difficult to construct a democratic or constitutional defence of the second chamber Starmer leaves behind.

Starmer’s Lords legacy is his leadership in microcosm

Bold promises of radical change lacked coherence, yielding disjointed and contradictory results.

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First Past the Post voting is causing chaos. Andy Burnham must quickly establish a National Commission on Electoral Reform to look into options for changing our voting system. Sign our petition with @makevotesmatter.bsky.social and @compassoffice.bsky.social 👇 actionnetwork.org/petitions/an...

Dear Andy Burnham: it's time for a fair voting system

Dear Andy Burnham: it’s time to scrap First Past the Post. Our voting system only breeds instability and chaos, and poisons our political culture. We know you agree. Now is the time to fix our demo...

actionnetwork.org

⏰Andy Burnham: it’s time to fix our broken voting system! 👇Add your name to the open letter 👇 actionnetwork.org/petitions/an... @makevotesmatter.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social

The Ethics and Integrity Commission is right – Britain's lobbying rules are not fit for purpose. As our CEO told the BBC, instead of today’s fragmented picture, the public should have a clear view of who is lobbying govt, on whose behalf & about what. Full clip here👇 buff.ly/e0LI1ta

With today's procedural chicanery, the govt is disrespecting Parliament. For the second time in two days, scheduled Commons business has been scrapped - this time, seemingly just to avoid embarassment. Whatever you think of the politics, this shows why govts should not control Parliament's agenda.

Over 160 MPs - including 88 Labour MPs from all parts of the party - have now put their name to the call for a commission on changing the voting system. The momentum is growing every day. As one Labour MP put it: "You don't have to be Harry Kane to see what an open goal this is."

Is Labour about to scrap UK's 'first past the post' voting system?

Some 88 Labour MPs - more than a fifth of the party's presence in the House of Commons - have so far backed a bid to set up a body to investigate electoral reform.

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We need to kick big money out of politics. Not just from overseas donors, or those who’ve returned from overseas for less than a year, but from all sources. Big money buys influence, no matter its origin.

With all the focus on Clacton, little attention will be paid to the 10,000 eligible voters estimated to be missing from the electoral register. The Representation of the People Bill is a big moment in ensuring this is one of the last elections where so many voters are left without a voice.

Automatic Voter Registration | Our campaign to Register Every Voter — Unlock Democracy

Over 6 million eligible UK citizens are not signed up to vote. Their voice goes completely unheard in our politics. Automatic voter enrolment systems are already in use in dozens of democracies…

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"5 million quid, without a shadow of a doubt in any reasonable person's mind, buys influence." Ben Habib is right. Just 7% of voters think political mega donors expect nothing in return for their millions. A cap on all donations would eliminate both the perception & reality of cash for influence.

“British democracy is not for sale,” says the Government. Unless you’re a billionaire living in Britain and want to donate millions of pounds to your favourite political party. Then, apparently, it’s absolutely fine! This makes no sense. We need a cap on donations for ALL donors.

Ministers' latest proposals tie political donations up in ever more complicated rules that are hard to explain, harder to enforce, & risk looking unevenly applied. There's a far simpler solution: cap every political donation at the same reasonable level, regardless of who gives it. buff.ly/r3Sd5Z5

Crypto billionaires face 12-month block on political dona...

New bill proposes restriction for overseas voters returning to the UK in bid to protect electoral system from potential foreign interference

observer.co.uk

Alastair Campbell rightly says Starmer mistook a huge Commons majority for a huge public mandate. FPTP is to blame. As politics fragments, it manufactures false majorities off increasingly low vote shares. The result: govt that looks secure until a poll dip leaves it facing losses across the map.

Alastair Campbell's diary: What Starmer never understood about being PM

The nature of how his landslide was won demanded more inclusive government

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The new £100,000 cap on donations from Brits abroad is being bypassed by ANOTHER crypto billionaire. If we’re serious about protecting our democracy, the rules cannot be this easy to sidestep. We need a donations cap! Please sign our letter👇 secure.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/page/194728/...

It’s happening again…

Two billionaires who live abroad are planning to sidestep the Government's £100,000 cap on overseas donations. It's clear we need to kick big money out of our politics entirely with a donations cap.

secure.unlockdemocracy.org.uk

The public suspects that with money, in politics, comes power. A fixed annual cap on all donations would show that political access and influence cannot be bought.

Christopher Harborne has exposed the flaw in Labour's political donation policy - Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate

A universal cap on political donations is simpler, fairer and far harder to sidestep

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Big money is no less “game-changing” when it is donated from Bayswater rather than Bangkok. Christopher Harborne has exposed the problem with ministers trying to regulate geography instead of influence. Our CEO, Tom Brake, reflects on the latest donations drama for @left-foot-forward.bsky.social 👇

Christopher Harborne has exposed the flaw in Labour’s political donation policy

A universal cap on political donations is simpler, fairer and far harder to sidestep.

leftfootforward.org

Big money is no less “game-changing” when it is donated from Bayswater rather than Bangkok. Christopher Harborne has exposed the problem with ministers trying to regulate geography instead of influence. Our CEO, Tom Brake, reflects on the latest donations drama for @left-foot-forward.bsky.social 👇

Christopher Harborne has exposed the flaw in Labour’s political donation policy

A universal cap on political donations is simpler, fairer and far harder to sidestep.

leftfootforward.org

There are many problems with our current voting system, and politicians from across the political spectrum recognise this.

When politicians refuse to accept defeat without evidence, they teach supporters that democracy only works when their side wins. That's a dangerous path. We can see in the US that trust in the electoral process is far easier to destroy than rebuild. Read more 👇 buff.ly/uxgHcYq

"The fragmentation we're seeing only works if you have a PR system of some sort." Former Chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, has inadverdently made the case for electoral reform. Voters have moved on from two-party politics. The voting system needs to catch up.

Labour's leadership "coronation" is already attracting criticism. But there's a strong democratic and constitutional case for MPs alone choosing the next PM. What do you think? Should party members get a say? Should there be an election? Full blog post 👇 buff.ly/kLdsQun

THE THREATS TO UK DEMOCRACY HAVE NEVER BEEN CLEARER! There is still time for the government to act but there is no time to delay. youtu.be/f2Cq0IovY0k?...

THE THREATS TO UK DEMOCRACY HAVE NEVER BEEN CLEARER

YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic

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Scotland's voting system is far fairer than First Past the Post. But it can still be improved. After Holyrood's least proportional election ever, Unlock Democracy Council member, Richard Wood, says the time for that debate is now.

Scotland's voting system is far better than Westminster's, but this election shows change is needed — Unlock Democracy

Elections to the Scottish Parliament are regularly highlighted by democracy campaigners as a viable alternative to Westminster's indefensible First Past the Post system. But after last month’s produced...

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