Labour MPs are urging Andy Burnham to back a raft of changes to tax and voting laws if he enters Downing Street. The prime minister-in-waiting is being called upon to make changes to the voting system as well as end the windfall tax on oil and gas.
Electoral Reform Push Gains Momentum
On voting changes, 88 Labour MPs, out of a total of 166 cross-party parliamentarians, have signed an amendment to a Bill due to be debated in the Commons next week, which would establish a national commission to investigate electoral reform. Mr Burnham has often expressed support for overhauling the voting system to make it more proportional, most recently during an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit on Friday. There, he suggested he would “seek to persuade” Labour to promise to reform the voting system in its manifesto for the next election.
With a fifth of the governing party in the Commons now backing the amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, due for debate on Tuesday, July 14, Labour MPs say the move would be an “open goal” for Mr Burnham, which he could launch within his first 100 days as prime minister.
Cross-Party Support for Commission
Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, who tabled the amendment, said: “My amendment to establish a national commission on electoral reform is now the most-supported amendment this Parliament with 166 signatories from eight parties, half of whom are Labour. MPs still have five days left to sign and its clear with the change of Government coming that the Commission is not just a clear signal to break the status quo but hugely popular with both MPs and the public.”
Supporters of the proposal say it has surpassed the 164 signatures, including 126 Labour backers, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier gained last year for a reasoned amendment to oppose cuts to disability benefits. Mr Sobel’s amendment has gained support from across Labour’s different factions.
Milton Keynes North MP Chris Curtis, who previously chaired the Labour Growth Group, said: “Andy has consistently made the case for PR, starting with a national commission. I think he was half expecting to have a job on his hands persuading MPs to come with him on that – but it’s the PLP that’s now clamouring for the Government to get a grip on this issue. You don’t have to be Harry Kane to see what an open goal this is for him. He should launch a commission in his first 100 days, so he can focus on his other priorities and bringing growth and hope to Britain.”
Labour’s party conference voted to support moving towards a proportional representation voting system in 2022. The party’s 2024 manifesto instead focused its electoral reforms on extending voting to 16 and 17-year-olds, the premise of the Bill up for debate on Tuesday.
Luke Akehurst, the Labour MP for North Durham, said the PLP had “caught up and is leading the charge” for voting reform. He added: “All parts of the Labour Party are onboard with electoral reform. We need a national commission to build consensus on the best system for modern Britain.”
Pressure to Scrap Windfall Tax
Mr Burnham has also been urged to end the windfall tax on oil and gas if he enters Downing Street. The energy profits levy has proven controversial, particularly in Scotland’s north east, after it was put in place to respond to outsized profits for energy giants during the cost-of-living crisis. Experts have suggested it could be costing as many as 1,000 jobs per month in the North Sea and it has been met with substantial political opposition.
In a letter to the former Greater Manchester mayor, SNP Aberdeen Central MSP Jack Middleton said: “The supply chains and investment we need to deliver our renewables future is being destroyed before our very eyes thanks to the energy profits levy and licensing decisions taken by Westminster. Put simply, our energy security, our economy and our net zero future hangs in the balance because of Westminster’s decision to rely on high-carbon imports as well as inflicting a punitive tax and licensing regime on Scotland’s energy. I am unaware of a single coherent argument in favour of the continuation of this destructive tax and I urge you to provide assurances to the people of Scotland of your position. For too long Scotland’s resources have been treated as cash cow to the detriment of our economy and national security – the people of Scotland and these islands deserve to know you will take steps to address that and provide us with a straight answer.”
The letter comes as a consultation opened on the controversial Jackdaw oil field off Aberdeen on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Mr Middleton announced he backs the development of Jackdaw and the equally controversial Rosebank field near Shetland, citing the impact on jobs in the region and energy security, while breaking with the policy of the Scottish Government over the need for “climate compatibility tests”. Mr Burnham has been contacted by PA for comment.
