Unite backs electoral reform
Unite - the UK’s second biggest trade union - has officially voted to oppose First Past the Post and support “moves to explore, select and introduce a new voting system for the UK.” The full text of the motion can be found here.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s General Secretary, tweeted…
Just a month ago, but before this change in policy, Unite delegates opposed our motion at the Labour Party conference. Now, thanks to the lay members who form its policy, Labour's largest affiliate has joined the overwhelming majority of Labour Party members - as well as trade unions like ASLEF, TSSA and MU - in supporting electoral reform.
Labour for a New Democracy is delighted with this outcome and proud of our contribution to it. It was Unite’s decision to make, but it was L4ND activists within Unite who posed the question.
From as far back as late 2019, our team have been working with Unite members to table motions on PR to the 2020 biennial policy conference which, like so many things, was delayed due to the pandemic. It’s been a long journey - and thanks to the L4ND coalition, Unite for PR, Unite members, and hundreds of policy conference delegates, it’s come to an amazing conclusion!
Importantly, the conversation does not end here. The motion that has been passed calls on Unite to hold educational events for its membership - something we’ll be supporting across the wider trade union movement in collaboration with Politics for the Many. Make sure you’re signed up to our mailing list to find out how you can help make this happen - and read press coverage of Unite’s historic decision below.
Tony Burke: Unite’s support for proportional representation is a ‘massive decision’
By Tony Burke
“The decision at the Unite Policy Conference in Liverpool last week to vote to end Unite’s support for the ‘First Past The Post’ (FPTP) electoral system in elections to the Westminster parliament is a ‘massive decision’, not just for Unite but also for the Labour Party” - writes Unite Assistant General Secretary
Unite policy conference backs new voting system for UK general elections
By Sienna Rodgers
Unite has passed a motion at its policy conference that commits the Labour-affiliated trade union to opposing first-past-the-post and instead “supporting moves to explore, select and introduce a new voting system for the UK”.
Unite votes to back proportional representation in Westminster elections
By The Morning Star
UNITE voted today to back proportional representation for Westminster elections, during the union’s policy conference in Liverpool. This would mean seats in Parliament being allocated according to each party’s share of the vote.…
UK’s second-largest trade union votes to oppose First Past the Post
By Politics.co.uk
The move comes just weeks after Labour Party members overwhelmingly supported a motion calling on the party to support proportional representation at the party’s Annual Conference…
