There is no doubt the world has changed in recent years. And politics has changed too. But we’re still using a voting system designed for the age of the horse and cart. A system built for a country with two political parties at a time when most ordinary people didn’t even have the vote.
The country we live in now is characterised by fragmentation and distrust. People are angry and fed up. Many for good reason. Wages have stalled. Homes are unaffordable. Bills have soared. Public services have crumbled. And the response from the political class has been to fight for swing voters in a handful of constituencies while ignoring everyone else.
First Past the Post just isn’t up to the job. If we continue with it, millions of people will continue to be shut out of the political decision making process and rightly conclude that real positive change is impossible. And that’s when the demagogues move in, the ones who say “You’re angry. I am too. Put me in charge and I’ll fix everything.” If you know any Americans, ask them how that’s working out for them.
The real shame about all this is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Across Europe, countries with proportional voting have faced the same storms. But their systems are resilient. Yes, authoritarian populists win seats, but they don’t win the majorities needed to seize power. Yes, they have their rightful say in their parliaments, but they don’t get catapulted into positions of near absolute power where they can do whatever they please. Governments there are forced to listen to ALL the voices in the country, to cooperate, compromise, and implement policies in the best interest of the country as a whole.
That’s democracy doing its job.
If we don’t adapt to this new world, we risk the same authoritarian chaos already being implemented by Farage’s phone buddy across the Atlantic. A politics driven by mistrust, dark money, and disinformation…where those with huge wealth and world leaders on speed-dial (remind you of anyone?) get to call ALL the shots. The systems and rules that we rely on to protect us will be at their mercy.
Look, we have to be honest: Proportional Representation won’t fix all the country’s problems overnight. But it will protect us from the worst excesses of Trump acolytes and give us the means to fix all those problems over time.
It’s how we make politics representative again, so the next time millions of people demand affordable housing or fair wages, their voices shape policy instead of being drowned out by those who profit from division. It’s how we start building a democracy that can withstand the as yet unseen challenges of the 21st century instead of collapsing under them.
That’s why we are so passionate about this cause.
And we’re making real progress:
We’re leading the way with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Elections - the biggest APPG on any topic - building a coalition of MPs and Peers prepared to fight for our democracy, to eliminate dark money from our system, to combat the distortions of disinformation, and ensure everyone has a say in our country’s future.
We’re forcing the government to acknowledge the problem - whether it’s the meetings/calls we have with minsters and their advisers, the debates APPG members prompt in Parliament, the tens of thousands of signatures on our petitions…The government can’t simply ignore us.
Our movement is growing - more and more people, seeing the dangers that a dilapidated democracy brings and recognising that the tide is not going to turn by itself, are standing up with us to force change.
And, of course, working with partners across the democracy sector - nothing of this scale ever gets done by one organisation. It takes many groups focussed on many different fronts to bring about change like this.
All this from a very small, very determined team. We’re small but we have big impact. We work smartly and efficiently, laser focused on getting results for you.
But we haven’t yet mentioned the most important player in all this… YOU!
As long-time supporters will know, we don’t take money from big business or shady think-tanks. We run almost entirely off small donations from you, our generous supporters. It’s a risky way to run an organisation but it is the very best way to ensure we are never captured by some wealthy backer with a personal axe to grind or a think-tank with dubious links. We are 100% focussed on doing what is right for you. That’s hugely important to us.
So, if you are one of those who can see the danger, who share our belief that there is a better way to run this country, that having a mini-Trump in Downing Street would be the worst thing for our country, and you support the way we are fighting your corner…please consider making a donation today.
Better still, consider setting up a monthly donation. It allows us to plan our future activity more effectively and you can always cancel it if your circumstances change in the future.
