Dear Editor,

I AM writing to share my experience and highlight the significance of the recent Sort The System mass lobby of Parliament on 24 May 2023.

As one of the hundreds of people who attended the lobby from all corners of the UK, I saw the depth and breadth of support for changing the electoral system and implementing proportional representation (PR) voting for Westminster elections. I attended that event to personally inform Robert Halfon (MP Harlow) that we need to change the electoral system.

On that note:

Did you know that some of the most fairest, most stable democracies and economies in the world already use PR? Countries include: R of Ireland, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.

Did you know that Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are UK regions that currently already use PR? So does the London Assembly. It’s just England that doesn’t use PR, nor the entire UK during general elections.

So, why does this matter?

• First Past The Post ( FPTP ) , the current system in England, doesn’t give everyone an equal voice that counts given FPTP’s post code lottery where “safe seats” are prioritised.
• Did you know that in 2005 Labour won 55% of the seats in Westminster’s Parliament with only 35% of the electorate who voted? The lowest ever on record! So in this case, 65% of the electorate have no say in parliament.
• Did you know that in 2019 the Conservatives won 56.2% of the seats with only 43.6% of the electorate who voted? Here, just over 56% of the electorate had no say in parliament.
• Many voters, if they can even be bothered or understand it, have to resort to “tactical” voting to hope they can block their most undesirable party out of governing the UK. I believe Russel Brand coined the term “voting for the least worst party” during a BBC R4 broadcast in October, 2014.
• Many voters feel disenfranchised, frustrated, disempowered, and let down by FPTP and the short term party policies when effectively a minority of votes steer a majority of policies leaving many out of the equation.

We need this change because UK politics isn’t working for most of us: It doesn’t represent many of us, and our current modern diverse needs. Life is getting harder and Westminster is letting it happen.

I was joined by numerous other constituents from all over the UK who also back the need for change. People came from as far as Ceredigion to Carlisle; St Ives to Suffolk Coastal taking the long journey to London to make their voices heard. Many voters sought a meeting with their MP to make the case that to deliver real and lasting change for people in the UK, we need to first sort the system and embrace proportional representation voting.

During the lobby, some of us had the opportunity to meet with Harlow’s MP Robert Halfon and discuss the urgent need for electoral reform. It was encouraging to see their willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue and consider the demands of their constituents. However, it is crucial that others also raise this issue with their respective MPs to demonstrate that the demand for change is growing.

I was proud to be part of the Sort The System lobbying campaign on the 24 May that showcased the power of collective action and the shared belief that our democracy should be fair, inclusive, and representative of all voices. I urge anyone who supports changing the electoral system to let their MP know why – and demand they too support sorting the system.

Together, we can amplify our voices and push for the democratic reform that our country so desperately needs.

Yours sincerely,

Ernesto Johnson