The Lib Dems are urging Andy Burnham to keep the Left in power by introducing a PR voting system immediately.
The party’s leader Ed Davey is using a speech to warn the incoming PM that it might be ‘too late’ if he waits until after the next general election.
Mr Burnham has made great play of his support for ditching first past the post in favour of proportional representation – commonly known as PR.
However, he has not specified what arrangements he prefers, and seemed to back off the idea during the Makerfield by-election.
Mr Burnham suggested he would not change the system straight away, but would instead include a commitment in Labour’s next manifesto.
Speaking to the Institute for Government, Sir Ed will warn Labour may be ‘powerless to do anything’ after a general election.
Andy Burnham has made great play of his support for ditching first past the post in favour of proportional representation – commonly known as PR
Ed Davey is using a speech to warn the incoming PM that it might be ‘too late’ if he waits until after the next general election
A YouGov poll today suggested Reform still has a significant five-point lead over Labour, who were tied in second with the Tories on 19 per cent support.
Sir Ed will urge Mr Burnham to ‘be brave’, saying if he is ‘serious about changing the way we do politics’ then his ‘door is open’.
He is to say: ‘Do it now. Don’t wait until it is too late.
‘Don’t wait until after the next election – when you might be powerless to do anything about it.’
Mr Burnham, who is set to replace Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street on July 20, has pledged to ‘rewire’ the British state and reach out to other parties to build ‘a more collaborative approach’ to politics.
Sir Ed is expected to welcome that pledge in his speech, echoing Mr Burnham’s criticism of a ‘broken political system’.
He will say: ‘If Andy Burnham is serious about changing the way we do politics, about ending the performative hostility and instead working across Parliament to meet the challenges we face, if he is serious, then my door is open.’
A YouGov poll today suggested Reform still has a significant five-point lead over Labour, who were tied in second with the Tories on 19 per cent support
