Labour electoral reform: Burnham backs a commission and EU options

Labour electoral reform is now part of the Prime Minister’s plan for government, alongside a fresh look at Britain’s relationship with the EU. In his Labour conference speech, Andy Burnham committed to a National Commission on Electoral Reform in this parliament and said he would lay out “different options” for the UK’s long-term future with Europe. Neither change has happened yet, and neither alters anything you do or pay today.

Both could change how your vote counts and how close Britain gets to its largest trading neighbour. This guide sets out what has been announced, what has not, and what to watch for.

Labour electoral reform: what the plan says in plain English

According to LabourList, the plan has three stages. First, a National Commission on Electoral Reform will be set up in the current parliament. It will consult experts, the public and political parties, then recommend a new voting system. Second, Labour will go into the next general election with a manifesto commitment to introduce the chosen system. Third, that system would be brought in during the parliament after that.

That is not the same as promising proportional representation. LabourList reports that Labour’s annual conference has overwhelmingly endorsed proportional representation for general elections. But the commission, not the Prime Minister, is meant to pick the system. The same article says the commission was originally proposed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections, chaired by Labour MP Alex Sobel.

Burnham argued the current system holds back the rest of his programme. LabourList quotes him saying: “Westminster prizes point-scoring over problem-solving and that is why so many things go unfixed for so long.” He also said: “It is always in my mind that I’m the seventh Prime Minister in ten years.” LabourList is a Labour-focused publication, and its account of support among members, MPs and the public is its own reading of the evidence.

Andy Burnham’s Labour leadership agenda on Europe

The second constitutional question is the EU. AOL, reporting on the Prime Minister’s conference speech, says Burnham told delegates that “Brexit has done more harm than good”. He said he would set out different options for the UK’s relationship with Europe. In an interview, he said those options included a customs union, membership of the single market or going “all the way”.

That marks a shift in tone. AOL notes that in May Burnham said the “last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments”. Before becoming an MP for Makerfield, he said: “I’m not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU. I respect the decision that was made with the referendum.” Labour’s 2024 manifesto promised “no return to the single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement”.

A government spokesperson said the Prime Minister’s plan is “to move beyond division and build a national consensus around a practical relationship with Europe that strengthens security, supports business, and delivers growth in every part of the UK”. The same report says a UK-EU summit is expected next month, and that Burnham has said he will “see if we can bring the UK closer to Europe”. Beyond that, the sources do not say which option he prefers.

Who pays more or less, and a worked example

None of the sources puts a price on either change, and neither would alter tax, benefits or bills directly. The effects would come indirectly. For voting reform, the question is how seats relate to votes. For the EU, the question is what any closer deal means for business, which the government says it will support.

A simple illustration shows the voting argument. Burnham warned against opening “the door of Number 10 to a divisive government on less than 30% of the vote”, according to LabourList. Picture 1,000 voters, and a party that wins 29% of them: that is 290 votes, with the other 710 going elsewhere. Under the current system, a party in that position can still end up in government in a crowded multi-party field. That is the outcome Burnham says reform is meant to prevent. This is an illustration, not a forecast.

The Brexit argument has its own numbers. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg told the Express that rejoining could not be done “on nine million votes that Labour got at the last election against the 17million votes in the referendum”. On his figures, Labour’s last vote is just over half, about 53%, of the referendum total. AOL also reports that an estimated 65% of Makerfield voters backed leaving in 2016. Rees-Mogg called rejoining “disastrous” and warned of “another great wave of immigration”. Those are his claims, and the government has not accepted them.

What happens next and what to do now

Nothing changes at the ballot box until a commission has reported and legislation has passed. On the plan as described, the next general election would still use the current system. The sequence, as reported, looks like this.

If you want a say, the commission is the place to look. Burnham’s plan says it will consult the public, so watch for its terms of reference and how to submit views. On Europe, wait for the summit outcome before drawing conclusions, as the options Burnham has mentioned range from a customs union to going “all the way”. If you run a business that trades with the EU, note which option is chosen, because each would affect trade differently.

Your questions answered

Has Burnham promised proportional representation?

No. He has promised a commission to recommend a new voting system, and a manifesto commitment to introduce whatever it picks. LabourList says Labour’s conference has backed proportional representation, but that is party policy rather than a government decision.

Is Britain going to rejoin the EU?

That has not been announced. Burnham said he will set out options, including a customs union, single market membership or going “all the way”. The government says it wants a “practical relationship with Europe”, and a UK-EU summit is expected next month.

Does this contradict Labour’s 2024 manifesto?

The manifesto promised “no return to the single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement”. Critics such as Rees-Mogg argue that Labour’s 2024 vote gives it no mandate to take the UK back into the EU. The government has not said it is abandoning the manifesto, and has described its aim as a practical relationship that strengthens security and supports business.