Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey is urging incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham to adopt a proportional representation (PR) voting system immediately, warning that delaying the change until after the next general election could render the Labour party powerless to enact it.
Davey is scheduled to deliver a speech emphasizing the urgency of the reform, stating that "it might be 'too late'" if Burnham waits. He plans to tell the incoming Prime Minister, set to replace Keir Starmer on July 20, that "if he is serious about changing the way we do politics" and "ending the performative hostility," then the Liberal Democrats' door is open for collaboration.
Burnham has previously expressed support for moving away from the first-past-the-post system in favor of PR. However, he has not detailed specific proposals and appeared to soften his stance during the Makerfield by-election, suggesting the change would be included in Labour's next manifesto rather than implemented immediately.
Davey is expected to welcome Burnham's stated intention to "rewire" the British state and foster a more collaborative approach to politics, echoing Burnham's criticisms of the current "broken political system."
A recent YouGov poll indicates that Reform holds a five-point lead, with Labour and the Conservatives tied in second place at 19 percent support.