MORE than 100 MPs, including many Labour backbenchers, have backed calls for a review of the first-past-the-post voting system.

They have signed an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill calling for a national commission on electoral reform tabled by Labour MP and chair of the all- party parliamentary group for fair elections Alex Sobel. 

He told PoliticsHome’s The Rundown podcast: “We’ve got two-thirds of seats, the Labour Party, on a third of the vote … if you look at recent council elections, Reform won two-thirds of the seats on a third of the vote in more than one local authority. 

“So the system is shattered. It’s a 19th century voting system in a 21st century political reality, and the two things need to come to a head.”

Under first past the post, political parties tend to spend resources and commit to policies that appeal to voters in constituencies that are likely to change MP — swing seats.

Labour leadership hopefuls Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting have spoken in favour of switching to a proportional representation system where the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party. 

A total 102 MPs have backed the amendment — 72 Labour, 24 Liberal Democrat, five Green and one Alliance.

Among them are select committee chairs Ruth Cadbury, Debbie Abrahams, Cat Smith and Helen Hayes.

Former frontbenchers including Fleur Anderson and Marsha de Cordova, and leading figures from the 2024 intake like leading Tribune MPs Yuan Yang and Beccy Cooper, and Labour Growth Group chair Chris Curtis, have also signed.