UK Politicians are universally distrusted with 75% of voters saying they are also self-serving.

More than half of voters want their votes to count when the nation faces big decisions. Almost all voters say the electoral system needs improvement in one way or another. 70% of voters say that the current system (First Past the Post – FPTP) is not fit for purpose. ¹

Some of the reasons given are:

• Citizens are often not represented both in their constituency and nationally.
• FPTP is politically stifling particularly when one party holds a significant majority of seats.
• The Party system makes radical political change difficult.
• Pressure groups are allowed too much influence.
• Donations to political parties have led to corruption and undue coercion.
• Politicians are not free to say what’s on their mind.
• The political system cannot be trusted when lying is permitted with little or no accountability.
• There is no mechanism for putting big national decisions to a referendum.

Since 2019, the Tories have governed the UK with a mandate from less than 30% of citizens entitled to vote. *^B

On this basis alone, the electoral system certainly needs reforming. However, any reformation cannot be achieved in isolation. Other changes, both constitutional and structural, would also need to take place for it to function properly, and for the nation and its citizens to reap the full benefit.

I offer a range of ideas on reforms that would solve existential problems inherent in the current system.

Introduce Proportional Representation: ^*2

• A quorum of citizens in a constituency may convene at any time during their MP’s term to make a vote of no confidence. The MP may then be referred to the Ministry for Democracy to hear their case which may result in immediate sanctions or dismissal (with final assent from the Upper House).
• Increase the timespan for a General Election from every 5 years to every 6 years.

Make voting compulsory: ^*3

• Broaden the voting process to include online, postal and in-person voting.
• Impose fines for noncompliance without good reason.
• Encourage democratic and political involvement through the Education System.

Make producing individual and party-political manifestos compulsory: ^*4

• Manifestos must include a ten-year plan (national and constituency) with full financials.
• Make it a criminal offence to lie or obfuscate in publicly promoted political communications.
• Ministry for Democracy to supervise and enforce.

Establish a Ministry for Democracy:

• A non-partisan independent body.
• Absorb the work of the current Electoral Commission. *^C
• The purpose is supervisory as well as enforcement. Principal responsibilities will be to ensure value for money from Parliament, maintain democratic and parliamentary standards, ensure fair representation and promote public confidence in the democratic process.
• Run by a committee of ten cross-party MP executives elected by all MPs along with a further ten citizen advisors elected at the General Election.
• Reporting to the Upper House.

Reform the Upper House: *^{D 5}

• Disband current members and replace them with 100 members elected by citizens every 10 years.
• Candidates selected to strict criteria from broad professions.
• Members paid a salary of, say, £150,000 per annum.
• Expenses allowance capped at £25,000 per annum to be used for parliamentary business.
• Refocus the purpose of the Upper House: To scrutinise and ensure legislation passed from the Lower House is lawful and Just.
• To monitor the democratic process and the work of the Ministry for Democracy.
• (Dismantle the current political honours system.)

Limit political campaign spending: ^*6

• Reduce campaign spending to a maximum limit of £20,000 per candidate. Objective: To level the playing field for smaller parties.
• Ban external donations to individual candidates.

Transparency of political donations:

• Individual donations from any source not to exceed £100,000 per annum.
• Ban donations to political parties and individual politicians from any entity with dual citizenship.
• Ban donations from any foreign entity including offshore accounts of citizens.
• Make all data relating to donations of any size publicly available online.

Ban lobbying: ^*7

• Replace with a committee of adjudicators made up of 10 Members from each of both the Upper and Lower Houses to hear the business cases of prospectors. If approved, the business case may proceed to the relevant Ministry.
• Ministry for Democracy to supervise.

Ban second jobs for MPs in principle: ^*8

• Vigorously apply the rules around conflict of interest. Enforced by the Ministry for Democracy with sanctions and unlimited fines.
• Establish a system of minimum parliamentary hours. Any time beyond, say, 40 hours per week spent on parliamentary/constituency business is free time and may be used for, say, party political activities, a second job, charity work etc.
• Ministry for Democracy to supervise.

Abolish MP expenses: ^*9

• Replace with a fixed stipend of £75,000 per annum per MP for running their parliamentary office.
• Travel and subsidence for day-to-day parliamentary business should be covered by normal business expenses as per HMRC guidance.
• Constituency business expenses covered by party funds or personally.
• The Ministry for Democracy to supervise.

---

While the nitty-gritty details of running a meaningful democratic system are important, I am more interested in the bigger picture: Humanity and how we design and organise our Civilisations. I believe the proposals outlined here if they were implemented, would undoubtedly have a significantly positive impact on how British citizens and politicians engage with the issues facing our communities and the wider nation. They will also improve how we, as a nation, are regarded globally.

---

Data and References:

Electorate profile

*^A Britain = England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales.

Total UK electorate: 47.6 million (2019).
Seats in Parliament: 650 (including the Speaker)*^B

2019 UK election results: Conservatives won 44% of the votes cast (14 million/31.9 million voters – 29% of 47.6 million electorate). Seats in Parliament 365 (56% of the total seats).
Labour won 32.1% of the vote (10 million/31.9 million voters – 21.5% of 47.6 million electorate). Seats in Parliament 202 (31% of total seats).
Turnout: 67% – 31.9 million of the total UK electorate.
(Electoral Commission figures)

Under this proposal – An estimate of seats that may have been won, based on votes cast, at the 2019 General Election under some form of Proportional Representation: Conservatives: 286 seats. Labour: 209 seats. Liberal Democrats: 74 seats.

*^C Electoral process
Electoral Commission annual budget: £46.5 million.
Cost to the state of running the 2017 general election: £140 million.

Reported spending by all political parties on their 2017 general election campaigns: £41.6. (Conservatives: £18.6 million Labour: £11 million Liberal Democrats: £6.8 million). Electoral Commission figures reported by BBC

Under this proposal – Expenditure of all political parties: 3300 candidates x 10,000 = £33 million.

House of Commons (Lower House)
Current number of MPs: 650.
Current cost of MPs’ salaries: Approx. £62 million.
Current MPs’ expenses: Approx. £152 million.
Electoral Commission figures

Under this proposal – MP expenses stipend: £50 million

*^D House of Lords (Upper House)
Current number of Members in the Upper House: 776
Members’ allowances and travel (2023): £21.1 million
Parallel Parliament figures

Under this proposal – Members’ salaries: 100 @ (say) £150,000 per annum: £15 million.
Member’s expenses budget: £2.5 million

References:

1 – Audit of political engagement

Turnout 2019 election

Summary of 2019 General Election results

2 – Proportional Representation: In the scoring system, Proportionality refers to whether the number of seats in parliament reflects the overall votes cast. Voter Choice refers to whether voters have a choice between candidates of the same party or independents. Local Representation refers to whether the candidates standing for election have a connection with their communities.
Scores for FPTP (current system) – Proportionality 40% Voter Choice 40% Local Representation 60%.
Scores for Proportional Representation, the single transferrable vote system – Proportionality 80% Voter Choice 100% Local Representation 100%.
Electoral Reform analysis
Constitutional implications of Proportional Representation

3 – Compulsory voting
The case for compulsory voting

4 – Rules for political literature
What is a Manifesto?

5 – Purpose of the House of Lords

6 – Rules for spending on electoral campaigns 2024
Campaigning at the 2019 General Election

7 – Lobbying

8 – Rules on second jobs 2024
Discussion on financial interests of MPs

9 – Rules on MPs’ pay and expenses 2024
MPs’ staff and business costs 2023
HMRC guidance on business expenses

---

Rod McRiven: 2024