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Voting system that delivered Labour and Plaid PCC victories in Wales to be axed by UK Government

14 Sep 2021 2 minute read
Andy Dunbobbin and Dafydd Llywelyn

A voting system that delivered Labour and Plaid Cymru victories in May’s Police and Crime Commissioner elections is to be axed by the UK Government.

New changes to the Elections Bill this week will axe the supplementary vote system which allowed people to choose a second preference in those elections.

Both Labour’s Andy Dunbobbin in North Wales and Plaid Cymru’s Dafydd Llywelyn in Dyfed-Powys won on second preferences, after falling short of their Conservative challenger of the first vote.

The UK Government’s bill will not impact Senedd or Council elections as they are devolved to the Welsh Government.

However, it will impact metro mayors, the Greater London Authority mayor, elected council mayors across England, and Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales from 2023.

Kit Malthouse, the minister for policing, told the Telegraph: “We are strengthening the accountability and role of police and crime commissioners, to help cut crime and deliver on the people’s priorities.”

Chloe Smith, the minister for the constitution, added: “Britain’s long-standing national electoral system of first past the post ensures clearer accountability, and allows voters to kick out the politicians who don’t deliver.

“First past the post is fair and simple – the person with the most votes wins.”

Luke Hall, the minister for local government, added: “Elected mayors can provide strong leadership, and must be held to account at the ballot box. The supplementary vote is an anomaly which confuses the public and is out of step with other elections in England, both local and national.

“Moving to first past the post will make it easier for voters to express a clear choice.”


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Roderich Heier
Roderich Heier
2 years ago

The claim that ‘the person with the most votes wins’ is arrant nonsense!!! In so many cases more votes are cast against the winner than are cast for.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
2 years ago

Again: Labour, Lib Dems and Plaid need to work together to kick out the Tories. If the progressive vote is split between 3 parties then it’s obvious that the Tories won’t be beaten. (if they get into power they can scrap FPTP in all elections). As Lyndon Johnson said, the first rule of politics is to learn to count.

Rob
Rob
2 years ago
Reply to  Mr Williams

I 100% agree with you. I wouldn’t be surprised once the First Term Parliaments Act is repealed then Boris will call a snap election, the opposition parties need to be prepared for this. The left of centre parties need to get their act together otherwise the Tories are going to remain in power well into the next decade.

Grayham Jones
2 years ago

That’s why it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 it’s time for a Free Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 kick all English party’s out of wales that’s the Tories Labour and all Brexit party’s stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh

Geoff Hollett
Geoff Hollett
2 years ago

More gerrymandering by a corrupt Tory government!

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
2 years ago
Reply to  Geoff Hollett

Just looks like a baby throwing their toys out of the pram to me 🙄😒

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
2 years ago

1. I think you need to edit your comment. 2. FPTP is inherently undemocratic because it rarely reflects how an electorate actually. e.g. In the 2019 UK General election over half of voters voted for parties opposed to a hard Brexit, yet we’ve gone through a the harshest Brexit. In no way shape or form is that democratic!

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

The problem with First Past the Post is that politicians can win elections with just 35% of the vote. How anyone can call this democratic I do not know. Just because a candidate gets the highest number of votes doesn’t mean he/she has been endorsed by the majority.
The other problem is we are forever locked into the two-party duopoly, where every election we are made to force to chose between the lesser of two evils. Look at the USA for example & how polarised their politics has become. Joe Biden is President simply because he is not Donald Trump.

Geoff Horton-Jones
Geoff Horton-Jones
2 years ago

This is absolute nonsense
To me it is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930’s
In a true democracy all opinions are valued.
The position stated is for a two party state where one side demands permanent domination.
A true Tory stance

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