185 MPs back amendment to set up National Commission on Electoral Reform

185 MPs call for a National Commission on Electoral Reform

A cross-party group of 185 MPs has backed an amendment calling for an independent National Commission on Electoral Reform.

Tabled by Alex Sobel MP, Chair of the APPG for Fair Elections, the amendment to the Representation of the People Bill has now secured the support of more than a quarter of the House of Commons. It is the most widely supported amendment to proposed legislation since the 2024 general election.

Signatories come from eight political parties, alongside independent MPs. The scale and breadth of support show that concern about the operation of First Past the Post now extends across Parliament.

The amendment would require the Government to consider establishing an independent commission to review the voting system used for elections to the House of Commons. The commission would draw on expert evidence and public involvement before recommending reforms to ensure that the system is fair, representative and able to sustain confidence in election results.

The proposal comes as the conditions and assumptions that once underpinned First Past the Post are rapidly disappearing.

In February, more than 50 leading academics warned that the combination of a fragmented party system and First Past the Post was creating new risks for Britain. May’s local elections reinforced those concerns, with relatively small movements in support producing arbitrary outcomes.

The amendment does not endorse a particular alternative voting system. Instead, it proposes an independent process through which the evidence, options and consequences of reform can be considered properly.

Alex Sobel MP said:

“First Past the Post is one of the biggest examples of a broken status quo in UK politics. A very modest part of any reset would be to accept and announce a National Commission on Electoral Reform.

“We’re inviting parliamentary colleagues to join this common-sense call to take a fresh look at how Parliament is elected in modern Britain.”

💬 "This is the most supported amendment in this Parliament by a distance."@alexsobel.co.uk spoke to @hansardsociety.bsky.social podcast about ways to strengthen the Representation of the People Bill, including his amendment on electoral reform.🎧 Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0Alv…

— APPG for Fair Elections (@appgfairelections.bsky.social) 2026-07-13T14:39:53.705Z

Full list of signatories

As of 17 July 2026, the amendment has been signed by:

Amendment wording

The Terms of Reference for the National Commission on Electoral Reform have been produced by the APPG for Fair Elections in consultation with a wide range of constitutional experts.

Duty to report on the feasibility of establishing a National Commission on Electoral Reform

Report on feasibility of establishing a National Commission

Within three months of the passing of this Act, the Secretary of State must publish a report (“the report”) on the feasibility of establishing a National Commission on Electoral Reform (“the Commission”).

The Secretary of State must lay the report before Parliament.

The purpose of the Commission is to:

(a) review the operation of the voting system for elections to the House of Commons; and

(b) make any recommendations for reform to ensure that the voting system is fair, representative, and capable of sustaining public confidence in democratic outcomes.

The Commission must be independent of Government in the exercise of its functions, must be guided by expert and public involvement, and must publish its final recommendations within twelve months of launch.

Member’s explanatory statement

This new clause would require the Secretary of State to report on the feasibility of establishing a new body known as the National Commission on Electoral Reform. This body would report on the operation of the voting system for elections to the House of Commons and make recommendations for reform to ensure that the voting system is fair, representative and sustains public confidence.

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