May I congratulate Ms Nokes MP in becoming a deputy speaker in Parliament. 

It is worth reflecting that the election process was done by proportional representation and the Single Transferable Vote - the preferred system of the Liberal Democrats and one which is already used for local elections in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

I hope that Ms Nokes will now advocate for proportional representation in elections. If it is good enough for MPs, then it is good enough for us. 

At the 2024 General Election, in this constituency the vote share was 39.8 per cent Conservative, 35.4 per cent Liberal Democrat, 11.4 per cent Reform, 9.3 per cent Labour, 3.8 per cent Green and 0.4 per cent other. The new Labour government secured nearly two-thirds of seats in parliament with only a third of the total vote share. 

If the Deputy Speaker finds the system of proportional representation acceptable, now is the time to transition to a fairer voting system that accurately reflects the will of the country. When so many voters are denied a voice, Parliament fails to reflect the people it is supposed to represent. Millions of us go without a say in crucial national decisions – excluded not only from government, but from holding government to account. Parliament should accurately represent the people’s range of views and perspectives. It is time for proportional representation.

Sally Yalden,
Fern Hill, 
Braishfield

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