Story perspectives

Burnham Announces Electoral Reform Commission Ahead of 2029 Election

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 10:55 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a national commission on electoral reform at the Labour Party conference.
Burnham pledged Labour will contest the 2029 election with a manifesto commitment to change the voting system.
He said the first-past-the-post system can produce a government with less than 30% of the vote.
Burnham announced ending the pensions triple lock from 2030, linking rises to inflation or 2.5% to fund free national care.

History

Historical Context

After the 2010 Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition pledged a voting-system referendum, the 5 May 2011 AV vote—overseen by the Electoral Commission—rejected the alternative vote by 68% of a 42% turnout, a defeat that damaged Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. Labour’s Andy Burnham now proposes a new electoral-reform commission and a second referendum before the 2029 general election.

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Story summary

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a national commission on electoral reform at the Labour Party conference.
Burnham pledged Labour will contest the 2029 election with a manifesto commitment to change the voting system.
He said the first-past-the-post system can produce a government with less than 30% of the vote.
Burnham announced ending the pensions triple lock from 2030, linking rises to inflation or 2.5% to fund free national care.

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