The Labour party has nothing to fear from a voting system that ensures parliament closely reflects the balance of opinion held by the British people.

We support Make Votes Matter’s campaign for proportional representation. We believe Labour should fight for PR and we are not alone. Seventy-eight constituency Labour parties and two affiliated unions have formally called for PR in the last two years. But, at the very least, Labour must now commit to reviewing the voting system in our planned constitutional convention.

The Brexit crisis has tested our constitution to near destruction, bitterly divided the country, and left millions feeling unrepresented at Westminster. We cannot simply hope that politics goes back to normal. We must lead the way to a democratic rebirth – transforming the political paralysis of recent years into a modern, dynamic and optimistic democracy for the many, not the few. The countries that come closest to this ideal all achieved what they have through PR systems.

Including electoral reform in the remit of the convention is a small clarification that could make a huge difference. Not only will it show Labour is serious about democratising the UK, but it will help attract the votes needed to see off a Conservative majority. Most importantly, it promises an exciting opportunity for citizens to consider, deliberate, and decide for themselves how the House of Commons should be elected.

We call on Labour to pledge that the constitutional convention will review the voting system in the forthcoming manifesto.

Alex Sobel Labour parliamentary candidate for Leeds North West, Billy Bragg Musician, Darren Jones Labour parliamentary candidate for Bristol North West, convenor of the Future Britain Group David Drew Labour parliamentary candidate for Stroud, Helen Hayes Labour parliamentary candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood, Ian Hodson National president of Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, Nadia Whittome Labour parliamentary candidate for Nottingham East, Neal Lawson Compass, Noam Chomsky Academic, Polly Toynbee Guardian columnist, Ruth Cadbury Labour parliamentary candidate for Brentford and Isleworth, Stephen Kinnock Labour parliamentary candidate for Aberavon, Ann Black Labour Party NEC member 2000-2018, Ben Bradshaw Labour parliamentary candidate for Exeter, Charlotte Cornell Labour parliamentary candidate for Dover, Huw Irranca-Davies Labour Welsh Assembly member for Ogmore, Jeffrey William Rooker Labour peer, John Griffiths Welsh Assembly member for Newport East, John Grogan Labour parliamentary candidate for Keighley, Jon Cruddas Labour parliamentary candidate for Dagenham and Rainham, Justin Madders Labour parliamentary candidate for Ellesmere Port and Neston, Lizzi Collinge Labour parliamentary candidate for Morecambe and Lunesdale, Nic Dakin Labour parliamentary candidate for Scunthorpe, Dr Paul Williams Labour parliamentary candidate for Stockton South, Raymond Plant Labour peer, Rachael Maskell Labour parliamentary candidate for York Central, Robin McAlpine Director of Common Weal, Sandy Martin Labour parliamentary candidate for Ipswich, Sarah Church Labour parliamentary candidate for Swindon South, Simon Letts Labour parliamentary candidate for Southampton Itchen

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