With just three weeks to go until the general election, we've seen a spate of parties publish their manifestos lately - setting out policies on everything from broadband to bus services.
What we want to know, of course, are their policies on Proportional Representation - and how we can win fair votes for the UK.
Keep reading to find out what they say about changing the voting system, what they mean, and where we go from here… and please consider chipping into our Crowdfunder as you go!
The Green Party
We're proud to say that not only did the Green Party pledge their support for PR, but they explicitly mentioned Make Votes Matter and the cross-party Good Systems Agreement in their manifesto!
It was launched on Tuesday and here's what it said...
If you're not familiar with the Good Systems Agreement, it's the first-of-its-kind agreement on what 'good' proportional voting systems look like and how to choose one for the UK; signed by parties and politicians from right across the political spectrum.
It was great that parties signed the agreement back in July. To be included in a manifesto is absolutely amazing. Thank you, Greens!
Liberal Democrats
On Wednesday, the Liberal Democrats made as cast-iron a pledge for Proportional Representation as you might care to imagine.
After rather cheekily describing themselves as "the only party that realises the system is broken", the Lib Dems set out their long standing support for Proportional Representaton through their preferred system.
Keen electoral system watchers will know that the Single Transferable Vote is, of course, a 'good' system of Proportional Representation.
The Good Systems Agreement is there not to replace system preferences, but to find common ground between them. So it's great to see another unequivocal - if unsurprising - promise to fix our broken voting system!
Labour Party
All eyes were on the Labour Party yesterday as they launched their manifesto in Birmingham. Ours were in particular, because winning PR will almost certainly require the support - whether enthusiastic or reluctant - of one of the two biggest parties.
A commitment to electoral reform was not to be found. However, the door was left open - with Labour promising a Constitutional Convention led by a citizens' assembly to "answer crucial questions on how power is distributed in the UK".
Over the last couple of years we've been working closely with the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform to mobilise unprecedented support for Proportional Representation within the party.
Thanks to our joint campaigning with hundreds of activists and supporters, over 12% of local Labour parties have formally called for PR, making electoral reform one of the most demanded policies in the party. But the reality is, this election came early... and we're not there yet.
Still, there's reason to be cheerful: a Constitutional Convention or citizens' assembly could be a route to electoral reform. And, more importantly, electoral reformers are in a stronger position to take a run at changing Labour Party policy than ever before.
Whatever the outcome of this election, we'll be sending an unprecedented wave of motions to Labour and trade union conferences next year, calling for Labour to finally embrace electoral reform. If you're a trade union member, submit one of our model motions to your next trade union conference today.
The Brexit Party
Good Systems Agreement signatories the Brexit Party haven't published a manifesto. Instead, they've launched a 'contract with the people' setting out their policy commitments.
The party has made radical democratic reform a key plank of their platform, standing on the promise to "change politics for good". Their pledge was simple:
During the launch event, Nigel Farage elaborated on this, saying that First Past the Post doesn't work anymore and leads to millions feeling that there is no point in voting. He called - as he consistently has - for before calling for proportionality in the voting system.
Plaid Cymru
The final manifesto launch of the week was from Plaid Cymru, who once again are signatories to Make Votes Matter's Good Systems Agreement.
Like the Lib Dems, Plaid set out the Single Transferable Vote as their prefered form of Proportional Representation.
If Plaid or any other combination of pro-PR parties end up holding the balance of power, this really could end up being the last election under First Past the Post.
With so many parties fully committed to fair votes, and with the Labour Party open to a broad Constitutional Convention, there's a real chance the Parliament that emerges from this election is one that will take action on electoral reform. And if it's not, our work continues - and we may well find ourselves with in the strongest ever position and with the greatest ever opportunity to get all opposition parties united behind changeing the voting system.
There are more manifestos to be released next week. We'll be updating you then on what the SNP and the Conservative Party have to say on electoral reform, as well as filling you in on the policies of some of the other parties in the Alliance.
Until then, please keep lobbying your candidates to #PledgeForPR, share our Crowdfunder and find out what other actions you can take this general election to help win fair votes.!
