News

What new Parliament would look like under proportional representation

Published

7 months ago

July 6, 2024

THE Electoral Reform Society has modelled what the new parliament would look like after the general election under proportional representation.

The modelling shows what Parliament would look like under the Additional Member System (AMS) [1] of proportional representation (PR), which is used for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments as well as the London Assembly, compared to the results under the current Westminster system of First Past the Post (FPTP)

	Vote share	AMS – MPs	FPTP – MPs
Labour	33.7%	236	412
Conservatives	23.7%	157	121
Reform	14.3%	94	5
Lib Dems	12.2%	77	71
Greens	6.8%	42	4
SNP	2.5%	18	9
Plaid	0.7%	4	4

A visual representation of how the results would look for PR compared to the First Past the Post results can be found here https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/18633267/

The Parliament elected under PR would far more closely reflect the way the country voted. It could lead to a number of scenarios politically, and likely lead to a government that represented a far greater share of voters. For instance, a Labour, Lib Dem, Green coalition under AMS would represent 52.7% of voters, rather than the just 33.7% represented by the Labour majority government.

In the coming weeks the Electoral Reform Society will also be releasing a model of the 2024 General Election result under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system of PR, which is the ERS’s preferred system and used in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The model comes after the general election produced the most disproportional parliament in British electoral history.

The results 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 9 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 820,000 for Reform.

Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society said: “The job of Parliament is to represent the way the country voted. However, this election has produced the most disproportional result in British electoral history.

“This is because of the distorting Westminster First Past the Post voting system, which means the seats parties get in Parliament often are not matching the share of the votes they’ve received.

“In simple terms, people should get what they vote for. Our modelling shows what Parliament would look like with a fairer proportional voting system such the ones used for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

“It’s time we moved to a fairer proportional voting system for Westminster so Parliament accurately reflects the way the country voted.”

Crime

Attempted burglary at the Welsh Bakery, Milford Haven

Published

51 mins ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are investigating an attempted burglary at the flat above the Welsh Bakery on Robert Street, Milford Haven. The incident is believed to have occurred between 4:30pm on Saturday, January 18, and 8:45am on Monday, January 20, 2025.

It is understood that force was used in an attempt to gain access to the upstairs flat.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact PC 865 Andy Baxter at Haverfordwest police station. You can reach out via:

Online: Dyfed-Powys Police Contact Form

Email: [email protected]

Direct message on social media

Phone: 101

Please quote reference number 50 of January 20.

Crime

Lung condition cited as defence in Haverfordwest drink-drive case

Published

60 mins ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A LUNG condition has landed a Hakin man in the dock after he refused to give a breath test when suspected of driving through Haverfordwest town centre while over the drink-drive limit.

Frank Morrissey was stopped by officers on December 12 and asked to provide a roadside breath test. He refused.

This week Morrissey, 58, of Glebelands, Hakin, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court, where he denied failing to provide the breath test for analysis. His solicitor, Tom Lloyd, claimed his client suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a lung condition resulting in breathing difficulties. As a result, the defendant was unable to provide the breath test.

The case was adjourned to March 20, when Morrissey’s trial will take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court. He was released on unconditional bail.

Crime

New Year’s Day drink-driver crashes into parked car

Published

1 hour ago

January 21, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A NEW YEAR’S DAY drinking spree has resulted in a lengthy disqualification for Pembroke motorist Pauline Turner, who crashed into a parked Mercedes while over twice the drink-drive limit.

Police were called to St Anne’s Crescent, Pembroke Dock, just before 2:30pm on January 1, following reports that a black Toyota Yaris had collided with a parked Mercedes.

Officers discovered Turner, 61, who admitted being the driver of the Yaris.

“She identified herself to police officers and told them that she’d consumed five or six pints,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week.

After admitting the charge of drink-driving, Turner, of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke, was disqualified from driving for 20 months. She was fined £150 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £60 surcharge.