Misplaced Pages

#382617

25-456: Proportional Representation Society may refer to: Electoral Reform Society Proportional Representation Society of Australia Proportional Representation Society of Ireland Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Proportional Representation Society . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

50-601: A policy. The motion for the September 2021 Labour Party conference was defeated despite 80% of CLP delegates voting in favour, due to an overwhelming vote against by the affiliated trade unions, most of which at the time did not have policy on electoral reform. In October 2021, the trade union Unite changed its policy to back proportional representation. In June 2022, the trade union Unison also voted to support proportional representation. Other unions that have declared their support for proportional representation include

75-698: A referendum on the voting system in the wake of the United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal as part of the Vote for a Change campaign. It is a founding member of the Votes at 16 Coalition . The society was later a principal funder of the YES! To Fairer Votes campaign in the unsuccessful bid for a Yes vote in the 2011 referendum on the Alternative Vote . Its chief executive, Katie Ghose , served as

100-411: Is an independent advocacy organisation in the United Kingdom which promotes electoral reform . It seeks to replace first-past-the-post voting with proportional representation , advocating the single transferable vote , and an elected upper house of Parliament . It is the world's oldest still-extant electoral reform campaign. The Electoral Reform Society seeks a "representative democracy fit for

125-499: Is not binding on the party leadership but does commit the party to include PR in its election manifesto. Although during his leadership campaign, Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer , said: "I also think on electoral reform, we’ve got to address the fact that millions of people vote in safe seats and they feel their vote doesn’t count. That’s got to be addressed." It has subsequently been reported that he has always opposed proportional representation. 48 %26 49 Vict. Note that

150-474: The New Statesman dubbed "the biggest political scandal you've never heard of". Electoral Commission sources estimated as many as 10 million voters could disappear from the electoral roll under government plans, predominantly poor, young or black, and more liable to vote Labour. The society succeeded in securing changes to the legislation. In a 2014 report, the society recommended several ways to make

175-896: The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), the Musicians' Union (MU) and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA). Politicians from all wings of the Labour Party have come out in support of proportional representation, including the former leader of Welsh Labour and former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford when he was in office. At the Labour Party Conference in September 2022, delegates from CLPs and trade unions voted overwhelmingly in favour of adopting proportional representation. The motion

200-587: The European Union more accountable and argued that there was a democratic deficit . These included: better scrutiny of EU legislation by the British parliament, a voting system which gives voters more influence over individual candidates (e.g. single transferable vote ) and recruitment of party candidates with a wider ranges of views on the EU. In August 2016, the society published a highly critical report on

225-588: The February 1974 general election . From then on, the society was able to secure a higher public profile for its campaigns. In 1983, the society was recognised by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organisation with consultative status. The society has campaigned successfully for the introduction of STV for local elections in Scotland , and led the call for

250-518: The 21st century." The society advocates the replacement of the first-past-the-post and plurality-at-large voting systems with a proportional voting system, the single transferable vote . First-past-the-post is currently used for elections to the House of Commons and for most local elections in England and Wales, while plurality-at-large is used in multi-member council wards in England and Wales, and

275-591: The Electoral Reform Society joined with other pressure groups (including Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform ) and Labour MPs to launch Labour for a New Democracy , a campaign to "build support for UK electoral reform in Labour with the aim of changing party policy by the time its next conference takes place". According to polling, three-quarters of Labour members believe the party should commit to supporting proportional representation and adopt it as

SECTION 10

#1732772890383

300-731: The Parliament of Ireland . For acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom, see the list of acts of the Scottish Parliament , the list of acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , and the list of acts and measures of Senedd Cymru ; see also the list of acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . The number shown after each act's title is its chapter number. Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number, preceded by

325-469: The campaign's chair. In 2012, the Society criticised Government handling of its policy of elected Police and crime commissioners – which led to the lowest turnout in British peacetime history . In August 2012, the society predicted turnout could be as low as 18.5% and outlined steps to salvage the elections, mobilising support from both candidates and voters. The Government did not change tack, dubbing

350-418: The first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland ). For acts passed up until 1707, see the list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For acts passed from 1707 to 1800, see the list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the list of acts of

375-566: The last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as "41 Geo. 3". Acts passed from 1963 onwards are simply cited by calendar year and chapter number. All modern acts have a short title , e.g. the Local Government Act 2003. Some earlier acts also have a short title given to them by later acts, such as by the Short Titles Act 1896 . Continuing

400-671: The leadership of Enid Lakeman , led a successful campaign to keep the STV system in Ireland. In 1973, the STV was introduced in Northern Ireland for elections to local councils and to the new Northern Ireland Assembly , and the society and its staff were called upon to advise in the programme of education set up by the government to raise public awareness. Interest in proportional representation revived sharply in Britain after

425-439: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Proportional_Representation_Society&oldid=933066036 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Electoral Reform Society The Electoral Reform Society ( ERS )

450-490: The polymath and politician John Lubbock . By the end of the year, the society had attracted the support of 184 Members of Parliament , split almost equally between Conservatives and Liberals . Other early members included Charles Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll ), C. P. Scott , editor of The Manchester Guardian and Thomas Hare , inventor of the Single Transferable Vote. The initial aim of

475-484: The prediction a "silly season story". Following the result (in which the national turnout was a mere 15.1%, even lower than the society's prediction), the Society branded the Government's approach to elections as a "comedy of errors", views that were reiterated by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper . The society led bids to change the Government's approach to introduction of Individual Electoral Registration, which

500-542: The referendum and called for a review of how future events are run. Contrasting it very unfavourably with the 'well-informed grassroots' campaign for Scottish independence , ERS Chief Executive Katie Ghose described it as "dire" with “glaring democratic deficiencies” which left voters bewildered. Katie Ghose noted a generally negative response to establishment figures with 29% of voters saying David Cameron (a Remain supporter) made them more likely to vote leave, whilst only 14% said he made them want to vote remain. Looking ahead,

525-524: The society called for an official organisation to highlight misleading claims and for Ofcom to define the role that broadcasters are expected to play. In February 2018, the ERS reported that hundreds of seats were being effectively 'reserved' by men, holding back women's representation. Their report states that 170 seats are being held by men first elected in 2005 or before – with few opportunities for women to take those seats or selections. In September 2020,

SECTION 20

#1732772890383

550-470: The society succeeded in getting STV introduced in local and then national elections in Ireland , and in numerous religious, educational and professional organisations. Following World War II , the society suffered from financial problems and a lack of public appetite for reform. When Fianna Fáil put to a referendum a proposal to revert to first-past-the-post voting twice (1959 and 1968), the society, under

575-617: The society was to have proportional representation included in the terms of the Representation of the People Act 1884 and the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 ( 48 & 49 Vict. c. 23), but, despite a determined campaign of political lobbying, it was unable to do so. A PRS pamphlet of the 1920s described the organisation's aims thus: Alongside its sister organisation, Proportional Representation Society of Ireland ,

600-496: The year(s) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800 is cited as "39 & 40 Geo. 3 c. 67", meaning the 67th act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign. Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations (thus "41 Geo. 3" rather than "41 Geo. III"). Acts of

625-547: Was historically used in the multi-member parliamentary constituencies before their abolition. It also campaigns for improvements to public elections and representative democracy, and is a regular commentator on all aspects of representation, public participation and democratic governance in the United Kingdom. The ERS was founded in January 1884 as the Proportional Representation Society by

#382617