Conservatives Plan To Change London's Proportional Voting Systems

Today word has come that the Conservative government intends to change London’s electoral system away from the current supplementary vote for Mayor to First Past the Post, citing a 2011 UK wide referendum on the Westminster voting system as the reason.  This is a democractic outrage.  In 1998 72% of Londoners voted for a new devolved Londonwide government, with a fairer voting system. We have not been asked since if we would like to change the system back to the unfair First Past the Post.

London’s electoral systems work for Londoners. The mayor is elected by a wider range of voters than a normal FPtP contest, needing more than 50% to win. We also have constituency AMs for local representation and Londonwide AMs. No party or group has campaigned against either system locally, nor has there been any public demand for a change since the system was put into place. It is dishonest of the Conservative government to pretend that there is any mandate to reduce Londoner’s rights.

If the Conservatives think it is a good idea to make London’s electoral system less proportionate and to remove more voting rights, then they should have the courage to put it to the people of London and campaign on it in this May’s mayoral election.

Reducing Londoner’s democratic rights should be something that Londoners get a say on.