Satisfaction with the government is currently at near-record low levels. Recent polling (Ipsos, 23 June 2023) found 80% of people unhappy with how government is running the country. Whilst that is terrible, almost half of voters - 49% were dissatisfied with Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Our electoral system to the House of Commons is not only outdated – it is dangerously bad for Britain’s failing democracy – designed to provide a duel choice – but that choice is simply terrible versus lousy.

The terrible Tories have had their time mucking up our country – so everyone knows Britain is now more-or-less guaranteed a lousy Labour government, by default.

Government should be by merit, and not by default!

Many people know that their political engagement is irrelevant – due to this outdated and undemocratic system designed for a different era. Significantly more people are not bothering to vote in General Elections – and who can blame them for not bothering in this rigged, broken system, where most voters cannot make a significant outcome in the election result?

There have been six General Elections in the 21^st century. Voter turnout to date has NEVER reached 70%, and the average is just 64.7% turnout. As a comparison, for the latter half of the 20^th century, there were 16 General Elections, and voter turnout averaged 76.3%, and NEVER reached as low as 70% turnout. Political engagement has become increasingly irrelevant in a system where the political Establishment “Blob” have no recognisable legitimate democratic authority.

It is time to replace First Past the Post with a system of Proportional Representation, so seats match votes and all votes count equally. A fair voting system will ensure that those elected have a legitimate mandate that people can respect.

In the 2015 General Election, UKIP famously polled 3.9 million votes – 12.6% of the vote - but won just 1 of 650 seats. At the same time the SNP polled less than half of UKIP’s vote - under 1.5 million votes - but won 56 seats. And the Conservatives, with under three times the UKIP vote – 11.3 million votes -36.8% of the vote, won – not 3 seats - but 330 out of 650 seats (50.8% of seats with 36.8% of the vote!)

The current system is not only disproportionate – it leads to literally millions of voters being completely unrepresented. Possibly as bad, it also leads to hundreds of MPs between the Conservatives and Labour having so-called “safe” seats for the blue and red teams. These members of Parliament – good, bad, or indifferent – can, and in some cases do, take their electorate for granted.

Britain needs to move on from our 19^th century system of disproportionate Un-representation to something fit for the current time. The UK Independence Party believes that Britain needs a true system of Proportional Representation.

Steve Unwin

Spokesman for Home Affairs, Voting Reform & Local Government