Make Politics Work for Us: A Common Sense pathway to democracy that delivers
In this report, the Common Sense Policy Group sets out a plan to make politics work for us, the vast majority, by ensuring that ordinary voters’ interests are foremost in the minds of parliamentarians and government. We call for a more representative electoral system, Alternative Vote Plus (AV+), for the House of Commons and support the recommendation of Labour’s Commission on the UK’s Future to replace the House of Lords with an Assembly of the Nations and Regions. We propose making a virtue of required repairs to Westminster Palace to move Parliament around the UK every five years, embedding nationwide thinking and development and saving money in the process.
Special interests have underpinned an increase in inequality and sleaze across the political spectrum. We call for an end to lobbying and donations by profit-making bodies and foreign individuals and entities, a genuinely independent Integrity and Ethics Commission, and a ban on political deception based on forthcoming Welsh legislation. Recent reports suggest that Elon Musk wishes to expand the influence he derives from wealth, ownership of X and as part of Donald Trump’s inner circle by donating $100m to Reform. This, together with Musk’s subsequent call for party leader Nigel Farage to be replaced due to his unwillingness to support jailed anti-immigration figurehead Tommy Robinson’s release and membership, has cemented the proposals’ importance despite their being developed a year prior. There is simply no justification for one person or company to be able to exert such control.
The report’s proposals have a high level of support among the public, shown in a survey of adults both nationwide (1,052) and in the ‘Red Wall’ (851) which switched from Labour to Conservative in 2019. Those who want change through progressive policies in health and social care and public utilities see democratic reform as an instrument for delivering a more equal and affluent society. Focusing on those outcomes drives support among opponents. On the other hand, without seeing the benefits in their everyday lives, the public will give up on democracy. Democracy is not inevitable, but nor is decline and disillusionment. Common sense change is essential to secure a democracy that delivers and to win votes in the process.
Recommendations
Transform Parliament
- Increase proportional representation by adopting Alternative Vote Plus (AV+) for the House of Commons and Single Transferable Vote (STV) for the Second Chamber.
- Reform constituencies: 500 constituencies with 150 top up seats allocated proportionally by regional Strategic Authorities across the UK.
- Replace the House of Lords with an Assembly of the Nations and Regions.
- Introduce term limits to stop entrenched and dysfunctional thinking from dominating Parliament.
- Make a virtue of the essential repairs to the Palace of Westminster by moving Parliament to other parts of the UK every five years to embed parliamentarians in UK-wide thinking and save money in the process.
- Ensure that political candidates live in a constituency for two years before becoming eligible for election in order to stop party ‘parachuting’ of candidates.
- Introduce a uniform structure of Unitary Local Authorities and regional Strategic Authorities across the UK.
Eliminate corruption
- End graft by banning second jobs, paid lobbying and all lobbying by foreign citizens and entities.
- Fund political party work in the public interest through expanded Policy Development Grants.
- Ban donations to political parties by profit making organisations and individuals.
- Make Parliament a normal work environment: normal offices, normal expenses arrangements, and sitting-time accommodation in the immediate vicinity of the Parliament for those who cannot commute.
- Tie politician pay to the national median wage via a wage ratio of a maximum of 2:1 in order to give parliamentarians a direct interest in the average citizen’s interests.
- Introduce an independent Integrity and Ethics Commission and ban political deception.
The impact: A system that delivers
- Improve the quality of the politicians that represent us and of the policies they implement by making elections competitive.
- Increase the power and wealth of ordinary citizens and reduce that of elites by improving the chances of parties being elected that support these outcomes.
- Secure citizens from instability in the political system caused by politicians appealing to small sections of society in small areas of the UK to be elected.
- Ensure that all people are represented by an MP with more than 50% of the vote and that parties that currently receive millions of votes for little result would have more MPs to better represent more parts of the electorate.