Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges to replace first-past-the-post with proportional voting
Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to abolish Britain’s first-past-the-post system and replace it with proportional representation, promising to run on this pledge in the 2029 general election.
At the Labour conference, Prime Minister Andy Burnham declared his intention to scrap the first-past-the-post system used for Westminster elections and move to a proportional representation model. He criticized the existing system for enabling governments to be elected with a minority share of the vote and promised to launch a new national commission to study reform, inviting participation from all political parties. Burnham said Labour will contest the 2029 general election with a manifesto pledge to change the voting rules, asserting that proportional representation would ensure broader representation and prevent a “divisive” administration.
The proposal could open the door for smaller parties such as the Greens to gain seats in government. Burnham linked the reform to a broader call for “new politics” and stability, while noting his recent removal of Keir Starmer from Downing Street. He also referenced his late father Roy’s support for proportional representation.
Why it matters
Changing the voting system could reshape British politics by giving smaller parties a voice and preventing minority-rule governments.
How this story developed
- Sep 21 Labour insiders deny early election plans amid polling boost and Reform UK funding scandal
- Sep 26 The Labour leader, speaking from his No10 North office in Manchester, recounted how his father Roy, who died aged 86 in a care home while battling Alzheimer’s, highlighted systemic failures. Burnham recalled similar hardships his grandmother faced 25 years ago and warned that neglecting social care will jeopardise the NHS. He pledged to make reform a priority despite political difficulty and will address the issue in his upcoming conference speech.
- Sep 26 Labour’s party chair urged vigilance at the start of the Liverpool conference amid a poll surge.
- Sep 27 Burnham added a vow to chart a new post‑Brexit path.
- Sep 27 Chancellor John Healey will announce a £115 million investment in a new research vessel and three floating docks, framing shipbuilding as the core of a “new age of industrialisation” at the Labour conference.
- Sep 28 A £100 million apprenticeship fund was added to the industrial plan.
- Sep 28 Burnham framed social‑care reform as a key election issue at the conference.
- Sep 29 A poll finds 53% of British adults favour keeping the pension triple lock, with higher support among Labour voters.
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