UK Parliament Approves Proportional Representation Bill in Symbolic Vote

The proposed law, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, faces significant obstacles despite its narrow approval in the House of Commons.

The Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill passed its first vote in the House of Commons by a narrow margin of 138 to 136.
The bill seeks to replace the current first-past-the-post system with proportional representation for UK parliamentary and local government elections in England.
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, who introduced the bill, called the vote a 'historic day' for electoral reform, though the bill is unlikely to advance due to limited parliamentary time.
Critics, including Conservative MP Lewis Cocking, argue that proportional representation would complicate the voting process and lacks public support, referencing a 2011 referendum that upheld the current system.
Labour remains divided on the issue, with 59 MPs supporting the bill and 50 opposing it, while Downing Street confirmed it has no plans to reform the voting system.