Andy Burnham to face immediate test upon return to No10 as nearly 100 Labour MPs plot voting reform

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No10 has said Mr Burnham remained committed to electoral reform, but stopped short of backing the new commission

Andy Burnham is expected to face an immediate test of his backing for electoral reform when Parliament resumes, with close to 100 Labour MPs pushing for a new voting system.

The Prime Minister is facing pressure to support ditching the longstanding first past the post system, as MPs hope to push reforms before the next election and include the changes within Labour’s next manifesto.

No10 has said Mr Burnham remained committed to electoral reform, but stopped short of backing the new commission.

New polling of MPs by YouGov suggests the change is now supported by a majority in the Commons, with 53 per cent of those surveyed saying they supported a review into first past the post.

An amendment to launch the commission has been backed by 185 MPs, including a number of former ministers and supporters of the previous prime minister, Keir Starmer - and will be addressed from next month.

A Labour source said: “The representation of the people bill has been designed to deliver our manifesto commitments on votes at 16 and strengthen political donation rules to guard against foreign interference, and that’s what the Government is prioritising.

“Andy remains strongly committed to electoral reform, and has indicated this is a matter for a future party manifesto, given a mandate would need to be secured for it.”

Mr Burnham had earlier endorsed the call for a national commission on electoral reform at last year’s Labour conference, saying he backed “a manifesto commitment to a system of proportional representation to be introduced into Westminster elections in the next parliament".

Ninety-eight Labour MPs have signed the amendment, tabled by Labour’s Alex Sobel, with support from across eight parties, as well as independents.

Those who signed also include MPs who have recently become ministers and ministerial aides – including Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, Communities minister Florence Eshalomi and Mr Burnham's private secretary and close ally Jo Platt.

A national commission could consider a range of other proportional voting systems to replace first past the post, the current system for a general election in the UK.

Current process means the winners of the most votes in each constituency are elected to a seat, with the party holding the most seats forming a government.

Other systems are used across the UK, including the Scottish parliament, the Welsh parliament and mayoral votes.

In Scottish elections, voters chose a candidate and a party, meaning additional members can be elected from a list, alongside constituency representatives.

Meanwhile in Wales, a closed-list proportional representation system was introduced for this year’s Senedd elections, with voters casting one vote for a party, and seats allocated proportionally from party lists.

In the recent Greater Manchester mayoralty, voters were given a first and second choice.

Alex Sobel said: “Now we know a majority of MPs back this proposal, including a majority of Labour MPs.

"I know the Prime Minister is committed to reforming our electoral system and I and all the MPs who signed this amendment want to work with him to set the UK on a road towards fair, modern general elections."

Andy Burnham is also said to be looking at making voting compulsory in Britain, with those who fail to show up handed fines.

Three major think tanks are pushing for the change, and presented papers to Labour MPs in the Prime Minister's team - where his most senior advisers are now believed to be mulling over the plans, including £10 fines for non-voters.