Commons back proportional representation bill

There have been a lot of political firsts this year: Labour’s supermajority, Reform UK’s Westminster seats and the incorporation of an, er, bungee jump into the Liberal Democrat election campaign. Now all eyes are on a curious development in Westminster today that has the potential to alter the UK’s entire voting system…

In a rather interesting move, the Commons voted this afternoon to introduce a bill to legislate on proportional representation. The ten minute rule motion was introduced by Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney and calls for:

Leave [to] be given to bring in a Bill to introduce a system of proportional representation for parliamentary elections and for local government elections in England; and for connected purposes.

Olney’s motion narrowly passed by 138 Ayes to 136 Noes – receiving cross-party support from most Liberal Democrat parliamentarians, a chunk of Starmer’s army and a handful of Green and Independent politicians. Those opposing the issue included the majority of Kemi Badenoch’s boys in blue, while Sir Keir’s party demonstrated its uncertainty over the idea with a rather large bloc voting against the PR proposal.