Make Votes Matter
17th December 2019Here's how we'll win
To those of you who've already donated, a huge thank you! You've made this our most successful Crowdfunder so far, and put us in great stead to campaign like never before in the new year.
With a majority government elected on less than 44% of the vote, we desperately need Proportional Representation.
And we now have an opportunity to mobilise unprecedented demand for fair votes, so that the only alternative to the current government is one that will change the voting system. So take heart!
This update sets out where we go from here and how we'll campaign to put an end to First Past the Post. If you haven't donated yet, please chip-in! And if you have, please share this page on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and by email. Thank you once again!
If not now, then when?
Whether we win PR after the next election doesn't just depend on what happens in the weeks leading up to polling day. It depends on what happens now and in the coming months and years.
It depends on whether we, as a movement, have put in place the conditions for electoral reform before that election comes.
Put into a single sentence, here's our strategy for achieving this:
We need to bring together an unprecedented Alliance of political parties, organisations and public figures that includes the Labour Party, backed by a powerful Grassroots Movement, to campaign together and pave the way to Proportional Representation in the next parliament.
Keep reading to find out more about each of the key areas...
1. The Make Votes Matter Alliance
The Alliance brings together all the parties and organisations who want Proportional Representation. Back in July, we launched the Good Systems Agreement: a historic cross-party agreement on the kind of voting system we need and how we'll get it.
The general election result has made the stifling effect of First Past the Post painfully clear to groups and campaigns right across politics: from the Remain campaigns to the Brexit Party, from the climate movement to trade unions.
Now, we need to bring all such movements into the Alliance, and this has already begun. Just last Saturday, Another Europe is Possible - one of the leading Remain campaigns - voted at its members' conference to campaign for PR.
When it comes to this single issue, they'll be pulling in the same direction as the Conservative MP and the many other Leave supporters who are members of the Alliance.
If you're a member of a campaign or organisation that might benefit from a fair voting system, we'd love for you to introduce us. Get in touch at [email protected].
2. The Labour Party
To win Proportional Representation we need one of the two biggest parties on board. This has to be the Labour Party (the Conservatives fully recommitted to First Past the Post in their manifesto).
Together with the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform, we've visited almost 200 local Labour meetings and secured the support of 80 Constituency Labour Parties. Based on our experiences, we've long suspected that a majority of party members support PR.
Well, now we know for sure. YouGov polling we've released today found that a staggering 76% of Labour members think the party should back PR, with just 12% opposed. Now, we need to work within the Labour Party and - crucially - affiliated trade unions to turn this support into a cast iron policy commitment.
While all eyes have been on the general election, we've been phone-banking trade union members - and we're now expecting motions on electoral reform to be debated at most of the Labour-affiliated trade unions next summer. Win at a couple of these, and it opens the path to Labour conference in the autumn.
If you're a member of a trade union, please table our model motion at your branch to send to your next policy conference.
3. The Grassroots Movement
Our whole movement depends on the energy and enthusiasm of volunteer activists. Whether it's enabling the day-to-day running of the campaign, or mobilising large-scale actions to pressure MPs and parties, we need your help.
With the injustice of last Thursday's election results, our movement has rapidly grown. Early in the new year, we'll be supporting local activists as they bring together everyone who wants to change the voting system - and we'll be working together with other democracy campaigns to hold a major campaign launch event.
Our main ask of every member of this movement is that you take part in major one-off action days. Also early next year, we'll be holding the biggest lobby of Parliament on this issue that the UK has ever seen. And later, once the weather improves, we'll be hitting the streets for mass action days from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire.
If you want to get involved sooner, why not attend a local meeting or call one yourself wherever you are? We have supporters in every part of the UK to invite along, and can provide guidance and advice every step of the way.
Help build the movement!
There will be more to follow on all of this in January - and we'll be reaching out to make sure everyone who wants to be active in the movement for PR has everything they need to do so.
In the meantime, please donate whatever you can to help us get off to a flying start and - if you already have - share the Crowdfunder on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and by email.
Thank you for your support!
Joe, Klina, Emma and the rest of the team
Make Votes Matter
I’ve come to conclusion we’re doing this wrong. The Conservatives are determined to keep First-Past-The-Post because they can win majorities on a minority of votes because they are the only right wing party, and push through their far-right ideological policies that harm everyone but the very rich. However, keeping a multiparty system means votes are split and the Tories win. What we need is a new political party, a Proportional Representation Alliance Party that everyone can vote for, that stands first for implementing a proportional voting system, while reversing Tory cuts, increasing taxes on the rich, increasing the minimum wage to the real living wage, setting a maximum wage ratio, reimplementing capital controls to prevent the rich using tax havens to dodge tax, stopping rich foreigners from buying luxury flats in London, and capping rents instead of benefits. This populist socialist party will appeal to most people, but will promise to hold a truly proportional election a year after the law is in passed to do so. All other parties should encourage their supporters to support this single party, and once the law is passed, and the economy starts working for everyone, not just the privileged few, the party can fold and the MPs can form their own parties in coalition until the election.
17th March 2020