Labour, the Unions and Proportional Representation
A new article in the Political Quarterly discusses the role of Labour and the Trade Unions in reforming our political system.
The article, by Cameron Rhys Herbert, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, assesses changing attitudes, the role of grassroots campaigns, and the prospects for the future.
“The Labour Party would be a vital component of any attempt to change the voting system. But while Labour’s membership appears increasingly to support the principle of PR, leadership has been more sceptical. In 2022, resulting from an effective grassroots campaign, the Constituency Labour Party (CLP) and trade union delegates backed a resolution calling for Labour to change the voting system.
What are the origins and evolution of this movement, focussing on the trade unions? And what are the implications of the changing position of Labour’s affiliated unions for the future of electoral reform in the UK?…”
