Britons favour proportional representation (PR) over first past the post (FPTP), with support highest among Reform UK and Lib Dem voters All Britons: 44% PR / 23% FPTP Reform UK: 62% / 17% Lib Dems: 58% / 22% Labour: 48% / 24% Conservative: 39% / 41% yougov.co.uk/topics/polit... - ThreadSky

yougov.co.uk • 88 days ago

Britons favour proportional representation (PR) over first past the post (FPTP), with support highest among Reform UK and Lib Dem voters

All Britons: 44% PR / 23% FPTP

Reform UK: 62% / 17%
Lib Dems: 58% / 22%
Labour: 48% / 24%
Conservative: 39% / 41%

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2024/12/04/afd25/2

Comments

sarahbarnard.bsky.social•88 days ago

There was a referendum on this and the people said no to proportional representation (unfortunately in my view).

aphexgwyn.bsky.social•88 days ago

No they very much did not.

PR was not an option on that ballot paper.

Every European parliament, with the exception of Belarus, uses PR. Scotland, Wales and NI also use PR for their devolved parliaments.

andyd.net•88 days ago

Well, the people said no to *AV*, which is not quite the same question. I agree with your premise though; sadly we probably wont see fair elections in GB in our lifetimes. :(

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

15 years ago. Views have changed drastically since then.

angharadhafod.bsky.social•88 days ago

And it was about AV+, which is not PR. It's better than FPTP, but in some circumstances can give an even less proportional result. It helps a third party, but not so much a fourth.

james.fieldleveltech.org•88 days ago

Wasn't even AV+ it was a referendum on AV only.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_United_Kingdom_Alternative_Vote_referendum

angharadhafod.bsky.social•88 days ago

Oh my mistake. That's even worse.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

Indeed. I would have liked it to pass because it would have broken the precedent and taboo on changing our electoral system.

angharadhafod.bsky.social•88 days ago

Yes definitely. But they were definitely people who saw it as a cludge, and didn't vote for it for that reason.
I voted for it because I knew that if it didn't pass it would set back the case for real PR.

lukeredpath.co.uk•88 days ago

Amazing how this view continues to persist even though we have never had a referendum on any kind of proportional voting system, only AV.

2300.bsky.social•88 days ago

They obviously want a chance at govt. But Farage shouldn't be allowed anywhere near no 10, & I'm not sure LDs could run the shop on their own tbh.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

That’s up to the electorate to decide though isn’t it? And neither of those are getting anywhere near majority numbers anyway.

If we don’t want Farage getting their number 10 then that is a matter of improving education (and news/social media) so people are making better-informed choices.

winter02.bsky.social•88 days ago

Tories face wipeout by Reform as their Brexity head bangers shift over. Socially liberal Conservatives will vote Lib Dem or Labour. Greens have now got most of the far left Corbynistas.

rob.lidalia.org.uk•88 days ago

But I just wan transferable voting...

sirchrisbull.bsky.social•88 days ago

This poll is badly flawed with it's very leading questions. And I say that as someone who favours a fairer electoral system. Also, the option will never be FPTP Vs the nebulous 'PR'. Which system of PR?

konallis.bsky.social•88 days ago

It might need more support to pass in a referendum, assuming most of the don't knows would stick with the status quo.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

I think the inherent deep need in the British psyche to punish Labour will get it over the line…

robinfrenchfoto.bsky.social•88 days ago

The list system in Wales, has definitely allowed ‘fringe parties’ like ukip and whatever it turned into, to get into government without many votes. Führage will be baying for it, watch the next Welsh elections as they will start there - they are not wanted here but they will get seats regardless

souptomatosoup.uk•88 days ago

It bothers me that the reform lot support it for the wrong reasons...but at least they support it.

orpach.bsky.social•88 days ago

I have to assume they're remembering how badly UKIP got shafted by FPTP voting the very next election after the AV referendum.

Think it still holds the record for the least representative election in modern UK history.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

I’m happy to support them on it for the equally self-interested reason of getting PR over the line from the non-self interest position of being a Labour voter at the last election!

alan160755.bsky.social•88 days ago

Maybe only those people who are ‘democratic’ (believe in democracy being fair and equal) should have a vote in deciding what the voting system should be?
The rest can be disqualified on the grounds they hate democracy somehow?

Dictators don’t tend to hold democratic elections do they?

red-smog.bsky.social•88 days ago

All them reform voters who, as tories, would not entertain PR for decades eh?

Think they can 'DEPART WITH HASTE'

jcmacc.bsky.social•88 days ago

Shock news: the parties that will most benefit from PR would like PR.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

That’s burying the lede. Isn’t the more shocking and interesting news the fact that 39% of Conservative voters and 48% of Labour voters would like PR?

jcmacc.bsky.social•88 days ago

That was my whole point.

YouGov listed the data with Reform and Lib Dem the top 2 lines - as if Reform and the Lib Dems were the most significant parties and the most interesting results.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

No it wasn’t.

They are in that order because they are listed in descending order of support.

Next.

jcmacc.bsky.social•87 days ago

frontman331.bsky.social•88 days ago

As a PR supporter I dont think we're there yet in terms of support. 44% of all Britons is not enough - look at the mess the referendum over brexit has caused where 17.4 million people decided the fate of a country with 46 million voters/ 60+ million inhabitents

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

People who didn’t or can’t vote don’t count. Their views are assumed to be equal to those who did vote.

This would be 66:34 in a referendum. Decisive.

mark65.bsky.social•86 days ago

France and Germany have PR. How's that going ?

finnwright16.bsky.social•88 days ago

Ofc reform want PR

mimij9.bsky.social•88 days ago

Of course they do. 🙄

jaspersharp.bsky.social•88 days ago

I suspect the Conservatives will start changing their minds after several terms out of office.

aphexgwyn.bsky.social•88 days ago

Definitely not. Even in opposition they know that'll son be Their Turn to have 100% of the power on 35% of the vote.
PR would se them locked out of power forever as they'd be unable to form a coalition.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

They aren’t gaining new voters any time soon, only losing old tribal ones. They are a dead party.

robin.bobin.uk•88 days ago

It’s already begun. 39% support.

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