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Conservative Party on Constitutional Reform

As questions have emerged as to the relevance, practicality, and suitability of the UK political system in the 21st century, so too has the topic of constitutional reform. The current system of simple plurality voting has been called into question as has the democratic nature of an unelected second chamber. Issues revolve around the number of MPs sitting in the House of Commons, whether to reform the nature of the government itself, the continued viability of the existing voting system, and the appropriate form the House of Lords should take.

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The issues

Conservative Party strongly opposes reforming the electoral system from its current ‘first-past the post’ format

David Cameron: "Proportional representation takes power away from the man and woman in the street and hands it to the political elites."

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Eleanor Laing MP: "97 per cent of the electorate want our country to be governed by one or other of the two main parties, which it is. Is that not representative democracy?"

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Conservative Party opposes a completely elected House of Lords

George Young MP and Andrew Tyrie MP: "We support a predominantly elected second chamber, but believe that there is a strong case for retaining a 20% appointed element."

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Conservative Party strongly supports a reduction in the number of MPs sitting in the House of Commons

David Cameron MP: “I believe every vote should carry the same weight, which means levelling up the size of constituencies. That would help reduce the number of MPs."

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Conservative Party supports the right of a constituency to recall an MP during a five year parliamentary term

“In February 2008 a group of 27 Tory MPs wrote to The Daily Telegraph calling for local voters to be allowed to \'recall\' their MP.\"

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