Is the electoral system broken? 22 million votes wasted at the 2017 General Election

The 2017 General Election is done but the fallout from it continues.

One of the big issues of the day and one that is not on May’s agenda is electoral reform. However, it is hardly spoken of, even though on the doorstep (from my own experience) the general public, more often than not, think every vote should be equal, 1 vote is 1 vote, and want their voice to be represented.

At the election, a massive 74% of all votes were wasted! That’s 22 million votes with no influence or representation in Parliament (¹Electoral Reform Society).

If what Theresa May said she meant then the election would have provided strong and stable Government. Another election where First Past The Post (FPTP), and it’s backers, used the argument that it gives strong Government.

Clearly, at least since 2010, this has not been the case. The Coalition, a small Tory majority, and now potentially a minority Tory Government with confidence and supply from DUP backers. Stable. Strong. Surely, not.

A Proportional System?

If a system of Proportional Representation (PR) was used (and there are quite a few different flavours) the tally of MPs would look a lot different.

Did you vote Green, Liberal Democrat, UKIP?

The real disaster in the FPTP system is that parliament is not equal. When the DUP get’s 1 MP for every 29k votes, but the Green Party get’s just 1 MP for 523k votes! That surely is wrong?

Maybe? How about UKIP getting 0 MPs for 593k votes?

Votes per MP: 643 declared
Green 523,269
Lib Dem 193,952
Lab 49,136
Con 43,075
PC 41,116
SF 34,130
SNP 27,930
DUP 29,231
UKIP 593,852 no MP

— Electoral Reform Soc (@electoralreform) June 9, 2017

Voted Labour?

If you voted Labour then you are probably a little annoyed right now that the Tories got 6% more seats than it got votes. Possibly enough to tip the balance in favour of a potential progressive alliance. Who know’s what would have happened if a PR system was introduced before the election.

Brexit, who’s actually being represented?

The UK is about to enter one of the most important negotiations in its history, Brexit. How can we have a successful Brexit, if the voice of the public is not fairly represented?

Think this is unfair?

If you think this system is unfair then you should join the Electoral Reform Society who are campaigning for a fairer, more equal voting system.