This petition was submitted during the 2017–2019 Conservative government

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Petition Change the general election voting system to one of proportional representation

Regardless of our views on Brexit, be we Remainers or Leavers, we the people note with dismay that the recent parliamentary deadlock has served only to magnify the ongoing democratic deficit caused by the will of parliament not being representative of the will of the people.

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Parliament is hereby instructed that the voting system for all future UK general elections is to be amended from the current first passed the post system to a system of genuine proportional representation.

We the people, whom are the seat of parliamentary power in this United Kingdom deserve and demand a parliament that is genuinely representative of our will.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

56,369 signatures

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100,000

Government responded

This response was given on 15 April 2019

In line with the result of the Parliamentary Voting System referendum in 2011, the Government will not change the current First Past the Post voting system for elections to the House of Commons.

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The Government’s view is that the First Past the Post system is well-established here. In each constituency, candidates are elected to represent the views of their constituents and in each case a candidate for whom more people voted than for any of the alternatives is elected. The current system is well-understood by the electorate; it provides a clear and well-understood link between constituents and their representative in Parliament. As such, the First Past the Post system is a fundamental part of creating a democracy that works for everyone.

In addition, it is worth noting that the Government’s manifesto committed, to keep the First Past the Post system for elections to the House of Commons, in line with the result of the Parliamentary Voting System referendum in 2011, in which the overwhelming majority voted to retain the current system. The Government does not, therefore, have plans to change the voting system at the present time.

Cabinet Office.

Debate in Westminster Hall, 23 April 2019

You may be interested to know there was a debate about proportional representation on 23 April 2019 in the House of Commons.

Watch the debate here:

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/eedc2e0f-fc4d-4b4a-8979-1e309eafd4ee?in=16:29:36

Read a full transcript of the debate here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-04-23/debates/D3B823DB-CB97-4508-8398-7ABD7E9F1609/ProportionalRepresentationHouseOfCommons

Find out about how to get involved in your UK Parliament:

http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/