Burnham's own Chancellor warned electoral reform could hand power to 'racist, bigoted, eccentric' candidates

From the Newshound archive · first published 1 October 2026.

John Healey's own words have come back to haunt Andy Burnham's flagship electoral reform push, after he wrote in 2011 that scrapping first-past-the-post would be an 'unfair, perverse' move handing influence to fringe parties. Healey warned that proportional representation risked the 'unedifying prospect' of major parties chasing extremist votes, adding that Britain's democracy was 'built on one person, one vote'. New modelling reportedly suggests PR would leave Labour with far fewer seats and likely dependent on coalition partners including the SNP.

Burnham announced a 'national commission' on electoral reform at Labour conference, claiming 'everyone's vote counts and everyone's voice is heard' under PR.

Analysis by More in Common found no single party would win a majority under any proportional system, with Labour potentially reduced to a minority government.

An Italian-born UK resident writing in the Guardian warned PR 'drives a wedge between MPs and their constituents' and leaves voters 'hostage to the whims of tiny parties'.