Make Votes Matter www.makevotesmatter.org.uk Contact: Joe Sousek Chris Skidmore MP E:
[email protected] Minister for the Constitution T: 07402 965566 Cabinet Office 70 Whitehall London SW1A 2AS Copied to: Theresa May Prime Minister 10th October 2016 If our Constitution is to continue “evolving and adapting in line with people’s expectations and needs” the case for Proportional Representation must be given full and fair consideration Dear Mr Skidmore, Congratulations on your appointment as Minister for the Constitution. Now more than ever, stewardship of the UK’s constitution and democratic processes is a crucial role. We therefore welcome your commitment to “see our democracy grow in strength and that everyone can have their voice heard”1, and we wish you every success in the job. It is difficult, however, to see how our democracy can grow in strength or how everyone can have their voice heard without addressing the failures of the UK’s primary democratic process: the election of MPs to the House of Commons through our First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system. In May 2015, one quarter (24.4%) of votes went to the candidates and manifestos of the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats or UK Independence Party. But FPTP delivered a parliament in which these parties share ten seats (1.5% of 650 Commons seats). This cannot be said to be a parliament in which “everyone can have their voice heard”. On the contrary, it is a parliament from which the voices of 7.5 million voters are all but excluded. If our democracy is to grow in strength, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that every vote carries equal weight.