185 MPs back National Commission on Electoral Reform

Support for a National Commission on Electoral Reform has continued to grow, with 185 MPs now backing Alex Sobel MP’s amendment to the Representation of the People Bill.

The cross-party total has risen to more than a quarter of the House of Commons, making it the most widely supported amendment to proposed legislation since the 2024 general election.

Tabled by Labour MP Alex Sobel, Chair of the APPG for Fair Elections, the amendment now has signatories from eight political parties, alongside independent MPs, with strong support from Labour MPs.

The amendment calls on the Government to consider establishing an independent commission to review the voting system used for elections to the House of Commons.

The Commission would draw on expert evidence and public involvement before making recommendations on how the electoral system could be made fairer, more representative and better able to sustain public confidence.

The growing parliamentary support comes amid wider debate about how First Past the Post operates in an increasingly fragmented party system.

In February, more than 50 leading academics warned that this combination could produce increasingly unpredictable and unrepresentative outcomes. May’s local elections added to those concerns, with relatively small shifts in support producing major changes in representation.

The amendment does not endorse a particular alternative voting system. Instead, it proposes an independent process to examine the evidence, options and consequences of reform.

Alex Sobel MP said:

“First Past the Post is one of the biggest examples of a broken status quo in UK politics. A very modest part of any reset would be to accept and announce a National Commission on Electoral Reform.

“We’re inviting parliamentary colleagues to join this common-sense call to take a fresh look at how Parliament is elected in modern Britain.”