The UK Government is set to issue a written response to a petition signed by more than 17,000 people calling for a major change to the voting system used in general elections.
Petition calls for electoral reform commission
The petition, launched by Joan Ruddock on March 30, 2026, urges the Government to establish a commission on reforming the electoral system. It is backed by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections, a campaign group advocating for replacing the First Past The Post (FPTP) system with proportional representation.
Under FPTP, voters choose from a list of candidates, with each party fielding one candidate per constituency. The candidate with the most votes becomes the MP, while other parties receive no representation. This system often disadvantages smaller parties whose support is spread across the country.
Proportional representation explained
Proportional representation is an electoral system where the number of seats a party wins corresponds to its share of the total votes cast. For example, if a party gains 40% of the votes, it would secure 40% of the seats in a perfectly proportional system.
The petition, which has now surpassed 17,000 signatures, is expected to receive a written response from the Government, as all petitions with more than 10,000 signatures do. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Petition text and public support
"I ask the Government to set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform, as advocated by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections," the petition reads. "It should be an independent, time limited, expert led review to build consensus for changing the electoral system for the Westminster Parliament."
It continues: "Along with 60% of the British public, according to some data, I believe it is time to change the voting system for the Westminster Parliament and review alternatives. I believe that too many people feel their votes do not count, and that under the First Past the Post system millions of votes are wasted and representation bears little resemblance to votes cast."
"In my view, a more proportional voting system would help ensure that representation reflected votes cast and that voters would be treated with respect."
