Latest news with #ElectoralReformSociety
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Even the Tories now admit that our electoral system is toxic. When will Labour have the guts to fix it?
'Gerrymandering!' cry those on the right. But the government's plan for voting reform, which will allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in the next general election, isn't to Labour's advantage. Voters of this age are unlikely to favour the incumbent government they have grown up with. Though lowering the voting age was a manifesto promise, real electoral reform was nowhere in the manifesto. Real reform would mean abolishing the broken, discredited, untrusted and unsafe first-past-the-post system. Keir Starmer often promises to put country before party. But as this year's British Social Attitudes survey found, only 12% of people trust governments to put the country's interest before their own party's. Labour can prove them wrong by fixing a fragile democracy in grave danger. It needs moral nerve to admit the system that elected it – allowing Labour to win 64% of seats with just 34% of votes – lacks legitimacy. In the words of the Electoral Reform Society, the 2024 result was 'not only the most disproportional election in British electoral history, but one of the most disproportional seen anywhere in the world'. The next election threatens to be far worse, when a vote below 30% could produce an unwanted winner as five or six parties get crushed into a two-party system. Voters know they need a louder voice: for the first time, 60% of them – including 52% of Conservative voters – support the introduction of proportional representation (PR), according to polling last month. Electoral reform could be their only salvation. This seismic shift in public attitudes has prompted some surprising shifts. Robert Colvile, head of the Centre for Policy Studies, the thinktank founded by Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph, writes in the Sunday Times: 'I've always hated PR … partly because its strongest supporters tend to be the kind of muesli-eating sandal-wearers who have never had a correct opinion in their lives.' But he adds: 'Cracks … have been appearing in my implacable dislike,' before concluding that electoral reform is something 'we really need' to do. Meanwhile, on the Conservative Home website, the former MP and Tory grandee Nigel Evans, after years of adamantly opposing reforms to the first-past-the-post system, now warns against 'sleepwalking' into 'a huge majority for one party but no real mandate'. He is calling for a royal commission to review the British voting system. Nigel Farage may become the outlier. He has always hammered first past the post for killing off new parties – despite winning 14% of votes in last year's election, Reform UK secured only five MPs. On the morning after the vote, Farage blasted: 'Our outdated first-past-the-post electoral system is not fit for purpose and we will campaign with anyone and everyone to change this election system.' But in May's council elections, Reform's 32% vote share was rewarded with 41% of the council seats up for grabs. The party also gained control of 10 councils. Now leading in the polls, Farage has spoken of an 'inversion point' at which first past the post 'becomes your friend'. He reckons Reform may be at that point. Expect him to now go silent on the issue (unless his ratings drop and he clambers back on to the campaign for proportional representation). As for Labour, its 2022 conference passed a non-binding motion to introduce PR in its first term. Alan Renwick, a UCL professor and deputy director of the Constitution Unit, warns that it's virtually unknown anywhere in the world for a governing party to introduce reforms against its own interests. But times have changed: Labour could regain trust with a country-not-party stand to prevent the perverse results it benefited from last time. The risks ahead are unprecedented. The psephologist and former YouGov president Peter Kellner has written in a number of excellent blogs that 'the prospect of a democratic disaster is real'. He was no electoral reformer – until now. Changing the voting system to prevent a Farage win could look like dirty politics. But here's what has changed. Kellner's historical analysis shows that British elections have always ended up with the government more people chose, even where results appeared contrary. Labour wasn't loved, but throwing out the Tories was the priority shared among most voters. Should Farage become prime minister, Kellner writes, 'for the first time in living memory, the country is likely to have a government that most people really don't want'. Reform scores first as the party that voters would never support. Farage is the leader whom most people want the least. Starmer is preferred by 44% of people when set against Farage, with the Reform leader backed by 29%. Yet despite Farage's unprecedented unpopularity, he could become prime minister with a 29% share of the vote. At this crisis point, it would be an unforgivable dereliction of duty should Labour fail to act. A proportional system gives fair seats for fair votes: there's no need to delve into the complicated mathematical formula of the de Hondt method to prove that. Kellner calls for the simplest safeguard against the most unpopular choice winning, the alternative vote, which is not a form of proportional representation but how all parties select leaders and candidates. Instead of marking an 'X' next to their preferred candidate, voters rank candidates in order. If none of them top 50%, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are reassigned according to the second preferences expressed on the ballot papers. The process continues until one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and, as the least hated, is declared the winner. Labour would have won the last election using this voting system, but not with a landslide. Alternative voting can be introduced instantly and doesn't ask MPs to vote for a system that would put their seats in jeopardy. Politically, it discourages extremism, because every party seeks other parties' second preferences. Kellner would introduce it now with a referendum only after people had tried it at the next election. Labour has the muscle, but does it dare act? The 2011 referendum on alternative voting was a fiasco, in which Dominic Cummings cut his Brexit teeth with a campaign of breathtaking mendacity. The government would certainly get overwhelming support for a royal commission consulting widely and reporting fast. They must act now, before our broken system causes a democratic calamity. Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
AsiaOne
18-07-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
UK youth celebrate voting rights but urge caution, World News
LONDON — Sixteen and 17-year-olds celebrated their newly granted right to vote in all UK elections on Thursday (July 17), but cautioned that proper education was vital to boost turnout and protect young voters from political misinformation on social media. "I'm really happy about it because I've always been kind of frustrated just watching politics and not being able to do anything," said 16-year-old student Matthew Caronna, adding that many government policies directly impact young people. In a major overhaul of the country's democratic system, the government said the proposed changes were part of an effort to boost public trust in democracy and would align voting rights across Britain, where younger voters already participate in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales. "A lot of people, even from a very young age, have very strong opinions, and they think their opinions should be heard," Ana Fonseca, 16, said. "Even though we are young, it is important to have a say." Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, said lowering the voting age to 16 could have a long-term impact, as starting to vote earlier may increase the likelihood of continued participation in adulthood. There are about 1.6 million 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK. Just over 48 million people were eligible to vote at the last election, in which turnout fell to its lowest since 2001. The next election is due in 2029. "We know that democracy across the world... is in a bit of a bad place at the moment... and this is why vote at 16 is such a great opportunity to just start to turn the tide on that doom and gloom outlook," Garland added. Some young people, however, are concerned about to which side of the political spectrum the new voters might swing. A poll of 500 16 and 17-year-olds conducted by Merlin Strategy for ITV News showed 33 per cent said they would vote Labour, 20 per cent would vote Reform, 18 per cent would vote Green, 12 per cent Liberal Democrats and 10 per cent Conservative. "All the right-leaning sources get pushed far more than the left-leaning ones (on social media)," Matilda Behrendt, a 17-year-old student, warned. "I think that will be a problem but it also means... various political ideologies can be spread and the ideas can be put across." Julian Gallie, head of research at pollsters Merlin Strategy, said political parties will need to further step up their social media efforts to engage voters under 18. [[nid:719096]]
RNZ News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
UK youth celebrate voting rights, but urge caution
By Vitalii Yalahuzian and Catarina Demony , Reuters File photo. Photo: Twinsterphoto / 123RF Sixteen- and 17-year-olds celebrated their newly granted right to vote in all UK elections on Thursday, but cautioned that proper education was vital to boost turnout and protect young voters from political misinformation on social media. "I'm really happy about it because I've always been kind of frustrated just watching politics and not being able to do anything," said 16-year-old student Matthew Caronna, adding that many government policies directly impact young people. In a major overhaul of the country's democratic system, the government said the proposed changes were part of an effort to boost public trust in democracy and would align voting rights across Britain, where younger voters already participate in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales. "A lot of people, even from a very young age, have very strong opinions, and they think their opinions should be heard," Ana Fonseca, 16, said. "Even though we are young, it is important to have a say." Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, said lowering the voting age to 16 could have a long-term impact, as starting to vote earlier may increase the likelihood of continued participation in adulthood. There are about 1.6 million 16- and 17-year-olds in the UK. Just over 48 million people were eligible to vote at the last election, in which turnout fell to its lowest since 2001. The next election is due in 2029. "We know that democracy across the world... is in a bit of a bad place at the moment... and this is why vote at 16 is such a great opportunity to just start to turn the tide on that doom and gloom outlook," Garland added. Keir Starmer leads UK's Labour Party, a favourite amongst youth according to polls. Photo: OLI SCARFF Some young people, however, are concerned about which side of the political spectrum the new voters might swing. A poll of 500 16- and 17-year-olds conducted by Merlin Strategy for ITV News showed 33 percent said they would vote Labour, 20 percent would vote Reform, 18 percent would vote Green, 12 percent Liberal Democrats and 10 percent Conservative. "All the right-leaning sources get pushed far more than the left-leaning ones (on social media)," Matilda Behrendt, a 17-year-old student, warned. "I think that will be a problem but it also means... various political ideologies can be spread and the ideas can be put across." Julian Gallie, head of research at pollsters Merlin Strategy, said political parties will need to further step up their social media efforts to engage voters under 18. - Reuters
CNN
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
UK to lower national voting age to 16 under government proposals
The United Kingdom could become one of the first European countries to lower the voting age to 16 in all national elections, in what the government is calling a landmark effort to 'future-proof' its democracy. If passed by the parliament, the proposed reforms, unveiled Thursday, would bring national votes in line with elections in Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, where younger voters already cast ballots. 'Young people deserve to have a stake and to have a say in the future of our democracy,' said Rushanara Ali, parliamentary under-secretary for local government in the House of Commons on Thursday. 'When we came into power just over a year ago, the government committed through its manifesto to bring forward measures to strengthen our precious democracy and uphold the integrity of our elections.' The UK's move, which could be in place for the next general election, follows a growing global trend toward younger enfranchisement. Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, welcomed the proposed reforms, telling CNN that lowering the voting age would 'help more young people to cast that all-important, habit-forming vote at a point when they can be supported with civic education.' 'Participation is a vital sign of the health of our democracy. If fewer people vote, our democracy becomes weaker,' he added. In 2008, Austria became the first European country to lower its national voting age to 16, with Malta adopting the change a decade later. In South America, countries including Brazil, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Argentina have permitted voting from age 16 for years. Across much of the world, however, 18 remains the standard minimum voting age. In Asia, countries such as Indonesia and East Timor have set the threshold at 17, while Singapore, Lebanon, and Oman require citizens to wait until 21 to cast a ballot. Within the UK, the government's intentions have drawn scrutiny. James Yucel, head of campaigns at the center-right thinktank Onward, told CNN that the proposal was 'not some noble push for democracy' but instead 'political engineering aimed at boosting (Labour's) support.' In both opinion polls and votes, younger voters tend to skew more heavily towards Labour than the main opposition Conservatives. The proposed reforms drew criticism from the Conservative Party on Thursday, with lawmaker and shadow cabinet member Paul Holmes saying in the House of Commons: 'Why does this government think a 16-year-old can vote, but not be allowed to buy a lottery ticket, an alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even stand in the elections they are voting in?' The reforms would also expand acceptable voter ID to include digital formats of existing IDs, such as driving licenses and armed forces' veterans' cards. UK-issued bank cards would also be accepted.
Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
UK youth celebrate voting rights but urge caution
LONDON - Sixteen and 17-year-olds celebrated their newly granted right to vote in all UK elections on Thursday, but cautioned that proper education was vital to boost turnout and protect young voters from political misinformation on social media. "I'm really happy about it because I've always been kind of frustrated just watching politics and not being able to do anything," said 16-year-old student Mathew Caronno, adding that many government policies directly impact young people. In a major overhaul of the country's democratic system, the government said the proposed changes were part of an effort to boost public trust in democracy and would align voting rights across Britain, where younger voters already participate in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales. "A lot of people, even from a very young age, have very strong opinions, and they think their opinions should be heard," Ana Fonseca, 16, said. "Even though we are young, it is important to have a say." Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, said lowering the voting age to 16 could have a long-term impact, as starting to vote earlier may increase the likelihood of continued participation in adulthood. There are about 1.6 million 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK. Just over 48 million people were eligible to vote at the last election, in which turnout fell to its lowest since 2001. The next election is due in 2029. "We know that democracy across the world... is in a bit of a bad place at the moment... and this is why vote at 16 is such a great opportunity to just start to turn the tide on that doom and gloom outlook," Garland added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Asia Air India probe of Boeing 787 fuel control switches finds no issues Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Some young people, however, are concerned about to which side of the political spectrum the new voters might swing. A poll of 500 16 and 17-year-olds conducted by Merlin Strategy for ITV News showed 33% said they would vote Labour, 20% would vote Reform, 18% would vote Green, 12% Liberal Democrats and 10% Conservative. "All the right-leaning sources get pushed far more than the left-leaning ones (on social media)," Matilda Behrendt, a 17-year-old student, warned. "I think that will be a problem but it also means... various political ideologies can be spread and the ideas can be put across." Julian Gallie, head of research at pollsters Merlin Strategy, said political parties will need to further step up their social media efforts to engage voters under 18. REUTERS
