Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Max Wilkinson

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to celebrate the dedication of the workers and volunteers who give their time to keep our communities running at this festive season, including in her fantastic constituency, which I know very well. I encourage her to apply for a debate so that we can formally recognise those efforts—or, as I have said to other colleagues, we do have time next Thursday if she wishes to raise such matters, as it is a very timely moment to do so.

[Max Wilkinson (Cheltenham) (LD)]

The health of democracy unites us all in the Chamber. Carnegie UK’s 2025 report gives the UK a score of just 41%. Separately, The Economist has a new model looking at election outcomes, and after looking at more than 10,000 scenarios it concluded that running the next election under first past the post would be akin not to sending voters into a polling booth, but to sending them to Las Vegas and pulling a one-armed bandit.

There is a way out for the Government—it is good news. In the new year, the Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney), will return to the House. Will the Government allot some time to discuss it and get behind it so that we do not risk the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) walking into No. 10 after the pull of a one-armed bandit machine?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We are doing all sorts of important things to keep elections free and fair in our country, and that is very important indeed. I look forward to seeing the Bill. I cannot guarantee that the Government will want to support it, but it is important that this place discusses these matters from time to time. We have a proud tradition of free and fair elections in our country and it is imperative that it stays that way.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Max Wilkinson

Thursday 20th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend raises some important matters, as does her constituent David Bennett. I would have thought that if she applied for an Adjournment debate, a Westminster Hall debate or a Backbench Business debate, that would allow further discussion of the issue.

[Max Wilkinson (Cheltenham) (LD)]

The last general election gave us an extremely disproportionate result, with the Government getting a massive majority on just a third of the vote. Current opinion polls show that the next election is due to be even more disproportionate, with the party currently leading the polls likely to get a majority on around 30%, perhaps even less, of the vote. Given that is the case, given that there is huge support among members of the Labour party for voting reform, and given that the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) himself supports proportional representation, is it not time that we had a proper consideration in this House of changes to the voting system, so that the next election is not a disaster for democracy?