Andy Beckett suggests the case for proportional representation may become irresistible (Britain’s two-party politics is fragmenting: what unintended consequences await?, 6 November). The strength of the case is not in doubt; the issue is lack of political will to legislate. Perhaps there is more will now than ever, with results from the 2024 general election and wide-ranging Electoral Calculus forecasts pushing parties currently against proportional representation to reconsider.

Labour’s position is clearly crucial. Based on the forecasts, PR offers Labour a hedge against a doomsday scenario of losing up to 90% of its seats. All those who favour change must hope that Labour’s leadership, even if they do not support electoral reform in principle, will adopt it for pragmatic reasons, closing their minds to conventional wisdom that voting for change is like turkeys voting for Christmas. In any event, Christmas will arrive; the central issue is how happy it will be for those formerly known as “the two main parties”.
John Culley
Barcombe, East Sussex

Andy Beckett is right to argue that a more diverse and fluid politics under proportional representation may become more appealing. And more fair. The 2024 election result was the most disproportionate in our history, leaving 57.8% of voters unrepresented in that the candidate they voted for was not elected.

The risk of continuing with the current system is that the first of any number of smaller disparate groups to pass the post may well end up forming the next government in the face of an alarming number of electors who did not vote for them.

If you want to see how the last election might have panned out under PR, the Electoral Reform Society’s website gives a graphic breakdown of the projected results.
Austen Lynch
Garstang, Lancashire