Oral Answers to Questions

Alec Shelbrooke Excerpts

Wednesday 27th April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

No.

[Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con)]

5. What recent assessment the Government have made of the case for electoral reform.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (John Penrose)]

My hon. Friend will remember that in the last Parliament we held the alternative vote referendum, in which this country resoundingly rejected a proposal to abandon our tried and tested first-past-the-post system in favour of an alternative. I believe that we should respect that result and the clear democratic decision that it represents, and therefore we have no plans to change the voting system.

[Alec Shelbrooke]

Given that the British people voted overwhelmingly for first past the post, does my hon. Friend agree that, as with all referendums, the vote is final and settled, and that the Government are absolutely right to push ahead with delivering their vital manifesto commitments?

[John Penrose]

As in many things, I could not have put it better myself.