News

General election 2024 the most disproportional on record

Published

2 years ago

July 5, 2024

THIS general election is the most disproportional on record in terms of votes cast matching seats in Parliament, analysis from the Electoral Reform Society has found.

Yesterday’s election result is the most disproportional in British electoral history according to two separate DV (deviation from proportionality) scores , which are used to measure how proportional elections are in terms of seats in parliament matching the percentage of votes each party receives.

With a DV score of 30, the 2024 election was found to have beaten the previously most disproportional election, which was 2015 with a score of 24, according to the Loosemore-Hanby measure. The third most disproportional result according to this measure is 1983, which had a DV score of 23.

Yesterday’s general election was also found to be the most disproportional on the Gallagher method of DV score , with a score of 24. The second most disproportional election on this measure is 1983 with a score of 20.6.

The results today saw the Labour Party win 64% of seats (412) with just under 34% of the votes. Meanwhile, Reform UK and the Green Party won just 8 seats (just over 1%) between them with over 20% of the vote share combined.

Research by the Electoral Reform Society also showed that Labour won an MP for every 24,000 votes they received, compared to one for every 49,000 for the Lib Dems, one MP for every 56,000 votes for the Conservatives, one for every 485,000 votes for the Greens and one for every 1,000,000 for Reform.

Yesterday’s vote also saw a number of electoral firsts which contributed to how disproportional the result was. For instance, this was the first election where four parties received over 10% of the vote and the first where five parties received over 5%.

It was also the election where Labour and the Conservatives received their joint lowest vote share on record, with a combined 57.4%. The second lowest combined vote share for the two parties was in 2010 when they received 65.1%.

However, this election is not an outlier result. Other recent general elections have produced disproportional results. The last three general elections have seen a winning majority gained on just 36.9% of the vote in 2015, a minority government on 42.4% of the vote in 2017 and an 80-seat majority achieved on a vote share increase of just 1.3 percent in 2019.

Yesterday’s unprecedented disproportional result comes as there is growing – and now majority – support for electoral reform in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Social Research found trust in politics has recently sunk to record lows, a problem the ERS has long argued is exacerbated by people not feeling their votes count under the First Past the Post voting system

ERS research found that at the last general election in 2019 over 22 million votes (70.8%) didn’t count towards the result, in that they were either cast for a losing candidate or surplus votes for the winner [9].

Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society said: “We have just witnessed the most disproportional election on record in terms of the votes people cast translating into seats in Parliament. It is clear that the British public is already voting as if we have a proportional system. For instance, this was the first election ever where four parties got over 10% of the vote share.

“The two-party voting system no longer reflects the way the country is voting. This is why the First Past the Post voting system used for Westminster is becoming more unstable and producing volatile results, and why millions of people’s votes effectively didn’t count towards securing any representation in Parliament yesterday.

“This disproportionality is now a feature rather than a bug of the current voting system. We now need to move to a proportional voting system for Westminster to ensure that Parliament accurately represents how the country voted, and that everyone’s vote counts towards the result no matter where they live.”

Charity

Toy Story fans fill charity toy box at Haverfordwest cinema

Published

3 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Donations pour in for SNAP Specialist Play as families embrace Toy Story 5 launch

A TOY STORY-themed charity appeal at a Haverfordwest cinema has got off to a flying start, with families donating toys to support children with additional needs across Pembrokeshire.

The Palace Cinema has teamed up with local charity SNAP Specialist Play to collect new and pre-loved toys during screenings of the newly released Toy Story 5.

The appeal centres around an “Andy’s Toys” donation box, inspired by the beloved Pixar films, which has already been filled by generous filmgoers.

***Toy Story magic: The Palace Cinema foyer has been transformed with themed decorations to celebrate the film’s release***

Cinema manager Hannah Cramp said the response from the community had exceeded expectations.

Families attending opening screenings have arrived carrying bags of toys, with many children keen to share their own treasured items to help others.

The cinema has transformed its foyer into a colourful Toy Story-themed experience, complete with hand-painted decorations, character silhouettes, bunting and famous film slogans including “Reach for the Sky” and “To Infinity and Beyond”.

Many visitors have also embraced the spirit of the occasion by attending in costume as their favourite Toy Story characters.

***Specialist support: SNAP’s sensory facilities help children with additional needs learn and develop through play***

The toys are being donated to SNAP Specialist Play, a charity based within the Child Health Department at Withybush Hospital.

SNAP supports pre-school children with additional and complex needs through specialist play sessions designed to encourage communication, physical development and sensory learning.

Its facilities include sensory rooms, therapeutic play spaces and bespoke equipment used by speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

Project manager Cindy Jenkins said the charity was delighted by the partnership and grateful for the generosity shown by local families.

She said every toy donated would be put to good use, either during specialist play sessions, at family events, or through seasonal initiatives such as Christmas gift boxes for children and their siblings.

The appeal will continue until mid-July, with organisers hopeful that even more donations will be received over the coming weeks.

Anyone attending Toy Story 5 at the Palace Cinema is invited to bring along a new or good-quality pre-loved toy to support the appeal.

Cover photo:

Fancy dress fun: Palace Cinema manager Hannah Cramp helping launch the Toy Story charity appeal.

Health

Medicine shortages now ‘most severe on record’, health leaders warn

Published

3 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PATIENTS are facing some of the worst medicine shortages ever seen in the UK, with pharmacists warning the situation now poses a serious risk to safety.

The National Pharmacy Association said shortages affecting commonly used medicines are becoming more frequent, lasting longer, and causing increasing disruption for patients, GP surgeries and pharmacies.

The warning comes as Serious Shortage Protocols for Creon, used by people with pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis to help digest food, have been in place since May 2024 and have now been extended until July 10, 2026.

HRT treatment Estradot has also been under a Serious Shortage Protocol since December 2024, with the current extension also running until July 10.

Patients travelling between pharmacies

A survey by the National Pharmacy Association found that 98 per cent of pharmacies had encountered patients who had visited several pharmacies in one day to find a prescription.

It also found that 96 per cent of pharmacies believed the current situation posed a serious risk to patient safety, while 89 per cent said they had been unable to dispense a medicine at least once a day because of supply problems.

Some pharmacy teams have also faced anger and abuse from patients unable to obtain medication.

Olivier Picard, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “Medicine shortages are becoming more frequent, lasting longer and causing increasing disruption for patients.

“These shortages are some of most severe the UK has experienced.

“It is deeply distressing to find patients who have travelled from pharmacy to pharmacy to find the medicines they need without success.”

Calls for urgent taskforce

The NPA is calling on the government to convene an emergency taskforce involving manufacturers, wholesalers, clinicians and pharmacists.

It also wants changes to rules which currently stop pharmacists from making simple substitutions, such as changing a tablet to a capsule or a cream to an ointment, even where a safe alternative is available.

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said medicine shortages were frustrating for patients, GPs and pharmacists, and added pressure to already stretched services.

She said the College supported pharmacists being able to make limited changes to prescriptions where a medicine is unavailable and a safe alternative exists.

She added: “The most important thing is that patients are able to access the medication they need safely and without delay.”

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Pancreatic Cancer UK have also raised concerns about the impact of shortages of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, including Creon, on people who rely on the medication to digest food, maintain weight and stay well enough for treatment.