Proposed law to reform voting system narrowly clears first Commons test

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ms Olney said the existing first past the post system for parliamentary elections delivered two-thirds of the seats in the Commons to Labour despite the party only attracting around one-third of the votes cast on July 4. It cannot be denied that voters would be confronted with a far more complicated system if any type of proportional representation were to be introduced Lewis Cocking, Conservative MP Ms Olney proposed introducing a single transferable vote system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference, explaining: “This system would protect the critical local link between MPs and their constituencies, which is so valuable in connecting individual voters with the parliament that makes decisions on their behalf.” Conservative MP Lewis Cocking, who won his Broxbourne seat with 36.8% of the vote share, said FPTP should continue. In 2011, 13 million voted to retain the first past the post system and at the last general election neither of the largest two parties proposed a change in the electoral system.” The division list released after the vote showed 59 Labour MPs voted in the aye lobby and 50 Labour MPs voted against. Ms Olney said in a statement after the vote: “This is a historic day in the fight for fairer votes and I am grateful to all the MPs who backed it.” A No 10 spokesman said: “There are no plans for proportional representation or reforms to the voting system.