Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform explained

Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform
Former Name:Labour Study Group for Electoral Reform
Abbreviation:LCER
Leader Title:Chair
Leader Name:Sandy Martin

The Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform (LCER) is an organisation formed of members and supporters of the British Labour Party, who are interested in issues of democratic renewal and electoral reform.

LCER campaigns on a range of constitutional issues associated with accountability, democracy and governance; its flagship campaign is for proportional representation in the House of Commons, which it argues is a precondition for other democratic reforms to be effective.

LCER characterises the first-past-the-post voting system (FPTP) as "unfair and deeply flawed, leading to voter apathy, disaffection with politics, and parliaments which don't represent the people". It campaigns for FPTP to be replaced with an electoral system which is "broadly proportional, and in which all votes matter".[1]

The organisation works closely with other organisations promoting electoral reform in the UK, including Make Votes Matter, the Electoral Reform Society and Politics for the Many. LCER is distinct from these other organisations in that it focuses its efforts on promoting proportional representation within the Labour Party. This is driven by the belief that a change to the UK's voting system can only come about via Labour:

"We believe that the impetus for changing the voting system must come from the Labour Party. The Conservatives will never support PR, because First Past the Post gives them such a big electoral advantage. The smaller parties already support PR, but lack the influence to bring about change. Only Labour can drive the change."
Since 2022, LCER has hosted the Labour for a New Democracy (L4ND) campaign.

History

LCER originated in the 1970s as the Labour Study Group for Electoral Reform. After Labour lost power to the Conservatives in the 1979 general election, the group changed its name to the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform.[2] Early supporters included academic Ron Medlow; Robin Cook,[3] Jeff Rooker and Martin Linton, who went on to be Labour MPs; and activist Mary Southcott,[4] who would later become LCER's parliamentary and political officer.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, during which Labour spent most of its time in opposition, support for LCER increased steadily among both Labour members and elected representatives, with motions on electoral reform being tabled at the party conference almost every year.[5] In 1990, the party conference voted narrowly to commission an inquiry into electoral systems; LCER is widely credited in bringing this about.[6] [7] The inquiry, led by Professor Raymond Plant, recommended the introduction of the supplementary vote.[8] Labour included in its 1997 election manifesto a pledge to hold a referendum on electoral reform;[9] however, this pledge was never honoured, despite the work of the Jenkins Commission, in which Liberal Democrat (and former Labour MP) Lord Jenkins explored possible voting systems on behalf of incumbent Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's government.

In 2010, incoming Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron announced a referendum on electoral reform in return for the support of the Liberal Democrats in a governing coalition.[10] The referendum, which offered instant-runoff voting (branded as "Alternative Vote", or AV) as an alternative to FPTP, was held in May 2011. AV is not a proportional voting system, and as such many electoral reformers considered it no great improvement on FPTP:[11] Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called it a "miserable little compromise",[12] [13] and some leading proponents of electoral reform considered AV to be such a poor system that they voted for the status quo.[14] LCER did support AV in the 2011 referendum, via the Yes2AV umbrella group, but following the heavy and widely predicted defeat of the "Yes" campaign,[15] LCER's activities fell into abeyance for several years, with activists exhausted and the organisation having spent almost all its money.

Activity has increased steadily since 2015, with many Constituency Labour Parties[16] passing resolutions in favour of PR, and increasing interest from trade unions. In September 2020, LCER joined with a number of other groups and Labour MPs to launch Labour for a New Democracy, a campaign to "build support for UK electoral reform in Labour with the aim of changing party policy by the time its next conference takes place".[17] At the time, polling revealed that three-quarters of Labour members believed the party should commit to supporting proportional representation and adopt it as a policy.[18]

The COVID pandemic meant that the Labour Party conference of 2020 was held online.[19] [20] By the 2021 conference, around half of all CLPs had passed resolutions in favour of PR, and over 150 CLPs submitted conference motions calling for Labour to back PR. 80% of CLP delegates voted in favour of the composite motion, but it was defeated owing to an overwhelming vote against by the affiliated trade unions, most of which at the time did not have policy on electoral reform.[21] By October 2021, the trade union Unite had changed its policy to back proportional representation.[22]

In June 2022, the trade union Unison also voted to support proportional representation.[23] [24] Other unions that have declared their support for proportional representation include the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), the Musicians' Union (MU) and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA).[25] Politicians from all wings of the Labour Party have come out in support of proportional representation, including the former leader of Welsh Labour and former First Minister, Mark Drakeford.[26] [27]

At the Labour Party Conference in September 2022, delegates from CLPs and trade unions voted overwhelmingly in favour of adopting proportional representation.[28] [29] The motion is not binding on the party leadership but does commit the party to include PR in its election manifesto.[30] Although during his leadership campaign, Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, said: "I also think on electoral reform, we’ve got to address the fact that millions of people vote in safe seats and they feel their vote doesn’t count. That’s got to be addressed."[31] It has subsequently been reported that he has always opposed proportional representation.[32]

Supporters

Many Labour MPs past and present have supported LCER and its activities. In the past, this included such high-profile figures as Mo Mowlam, Robin Cook, Paul Flynn, Clare Short, Tessa Jowell, Rhodri Morgan, Stephen Twigg, Oona King and Janet Anderson.[33] [34] [35] [36]

LCER has prominent supporters from both the left and the right wings of the Labour party.[37] It is currently chaired by former MP Sandy Martin, with former MEP Julie Ward and councillor Duncan Enright as vice-chairs. Former CEO of the Electoral Reform Society Ken Ritchie is the group's treasurer, whilst trade unionist Billy Hayes and former MP Willie Bain are also on the executive committee.[38]

In 2017, Cat Smith co-wrote the foreword to a report jointly written by LCER with Make Votes Matter.[39] Other current supporters include MPs David Lammy, Jonathan Reynolds, Tulip Siddiq, Stephen Kinnock, Alan Whitehead and John McDonnell. Outside the Commons, support comes from Baroness Lister of the House of Lords, and the elected mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

Position

LCER does not advocate the introduction of a specific system of proportional representation, believing that the selection of a new voting system should be the work of a Royal Commission. Rather, it campaigns for the Labour Party:

LCER bases its support for proportional representation on the belief that PR systems are more democratic than FPTP, but also on evidence that PR voting systems are associated with societies with higher levels of social and economic equality; with higher levels of public spending and redistribution; and with a lower propensity to engage in violent conflict.[40] [41] [42] [43]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021 . About LCER . 22 September 2021 . LCER official website.
  2. Web site: Southcott . Mary . 2021 . Item on LCER's history, downloadable from About LCER page. . 2019-09-22 . LCER official website.
  3. Cook, R. (2003). Where Do We Go from Here? Chapter 9 in Point of Departure: Diaries from the Front Bench. Simon & Schuster.
  4. Book: Linton, M and Southcott, M. Making Votes Count: The Case for Electoral Reform. Profile Books. 1998. 9781861970879.
  5. Book: Miles, Jasper Charles. The Labour Party and the Westminster electoral system. 2017. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool. 151.
  6. Norris. Pippa. 1995. The politics of electoral reform in Britain. International Political Science Review. 16. 1. 65–78. 10.1177/019251219501600105. 144867316 .
  7. Cole. Matt. 1999. Party policy and electoral reform: A survey of developments, motives and prospects. British Elections & Parties Review. 9. 1. 72–86. 10.1080/13689889908413021.
  8. News: Plant commission moves towards PR: Labour working party wants 'first past post' system for electing MPs scrapped. Davies. Patricia Wynn. 1 April 1993. The Independent. 9 October 2019.
  9. Web site: 1997 Labour Party Manifesto -. www.labour-party.org.uk. 2019-09-22.
  10. Curtice. John. 2013. Politicians, voters and democracy: The 2011 UK referendum on the Alternative Vote.. Electoral Studies. 32. 2. 215–223. 10.1016/j.electstud.2012.10.010.
  11. News: 10 reasons the AV referendum was lost. Clark. Tom. 6 May 2011. The Guardian. 22 September 2019.
  12. Curtice. John. 2011. The Death of a Miserable Little Compromise: The Alternative Vote Referendum. Political Insight. 2. 2. 14–17. 10.1111/j.2041-9066.2011.00066.x. 144485220 .
  13. Dommett. K. 2013. A miserable little compromise? Exploring Liberal Democrat fortunes in the UK coalition.. The Political Quarterly. 84. 2. 218–227. 10.1111/j.1467-923X.2013.12013.x.
  14. News: Letters: AV facts and fallacies. Rooker. Jeff. 2011-01-07. The Guardian. 2019-09-22. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  15. News: Why Yes2AV lags so far behind. Robinson. Duncan. 28 April 2011. New Statesman. 22 September 2019.
  16. Web site: 2023-01-02 . CLPs with policy in favour of Proportional Representation . 2023-02-01 . Labour for a New Democracy.
  17. News: Kersley . Andrew . 19 September 2020 . 'Labour for a New Democracy' launches to push leadership on electoral reform . . 16 November 2020.
  18. News: Stone . Jon . 17 December 2019 . Three-quarters of Labour members want party to back proportional representation . . 16 November 2020.
  19. News: Perry . Alice . 10 November 2020 . 2021 elections, conferences and party complaints – Alice Perry's NEC report . . 16 November 2020.
  20. Web site: Fair Votes. Equal society. . Labour for a New Democracy . 16 November 2020.
  21. News: Chappell. Elliot. 27 September 2021. Conference rejects motion committing Labour to proportional representation. Labour List. 16 January 2021.
  22. Web site: 22 October 2021. Unite conference 'historic vote' to back PR voting in Westminster elections. 16 January 2022.
  23. News: Narcross . Jon . 20 June 2022 . UNISON vote to back proportional representation hailed as 'huge boost' in campaign for fair votes . Politics.co.uk . 28 September 2022.
  24. News: Chappell . Elliot . 17 June 2022 . UNISON vote to back PR hailed as "huge boost" by electoral reform campaigners . LabourList . 28 September 2022.
  25. Web site: Which trade unions support electoral reform? . labourforanewdemocracy.org.uk . Labour for a New Democracy . 28 September 2022.
  26. News: Morton . Becky . 27 September 2022 . Labour members back calls for electoral reform . BBC News . 28 September 2022.
  27. News: 27 September 2022 . First Minister Mark Drakeford tells Labour to work with other parties . BBC News . 28 September 2022.
  28. News: 2022-09-26 . Labour members back calls for electoral reform . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-09-27.
  29. Web site: Labour Party conference backs proportional representation . Cowan . Doug . 27 September 2022 . electoral-reform.org.uk . Electoral Reform Society . 28 September 2022.
  30. News: Walker . Peter . Allegretti . Aubrey . 26 September 2022 . Labour delegates back motion calling on party to back PR . The Guardian . 11 December 2023.
  31. Web site: Keir Starmer: "We've got to address the fact that millions of people vote in safe seats and they feel their vote doesn't count" . 2023-12-11 . www.electoral-reform.org.uk . en-GB.
  32. Web site: Mortimer . Josiah . 2023-04-27 . Keir Starmer Now Opposes Scrapping Westminster's Voting System for PR in Blow for Reformers . 2023-12-11 . Byline Times . en-GB.
  33. Political Report 1996-7. Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform.
  34. Book: Women's movements facing the reconfigured state. 2003. Cambridge University Press. Banaszak, Lee Ann, 1960-, Beckwith, Karen, 1950-, Rucht, Dieter.. 0-521-81278-X. New York. 49727819.
  35. Web site: LCER - Labour MPs and candidates. www.labourcampaignforelectoralreform.org.uk. 2019-12-11.
  36. News: 1999-05-06 . Labour's electoral limits . 23 . . 2022-05-13.
  37. Web site: LCER supporters - MPs. 2019. LCER Official Website. 9 October 2019.
  38. Web site: 2021-03-06 . Meet the Team - Labour for Electoral Reform . 2022-06-17 . en.
  39. Web site: Labour eyes proportional representation as party's elections minister backs voting shake-up. The Independent. Stone. Jon. 4 May 2017. 8 October 2019.
  40. Book: The Many, Not the Few: Proportional Representation and Labour in the 21st Century. LCER and Make Votes Matter. 2017.
  41. Döring. Holger. Manow. Philip. 2017. Is Proportional Representation More Favourable to the Left? Electoral Rules and Their Impact on Elections, Parliaments and the Formation of Cabinets. British Journal of Political Science. en. 47. 1. 149–164. 10.1017/S0007123415000290. 0007-1234. free.
  42. IVERSEN. TORBEN. SOSKICE. DAVID. May 2006. Electoral Institutions and the Politics of Coalitions: Why Some Democracies Redistribute More Than Others. American Political Science Review. 100. 2. 165–181. 10.1017/s0003055406062083. 0003-0554. 10.1.1.828.6087. 9418150 .
  43. Book: Lijphart, Arend, 1936-. Patterns of democracy: government forms and performance in thirty-six countries. 9780300172027. 870703414. 2012-09-11.