Proportional representation and a ‘fair electoral system’ for the United Kingdom

Most proponents of electoral reform in the UK argue that the current system is unfair to parties, because the outcome is invariably far from their norm of proportional representation. There is an assumption (almost always implicit and unconsidered) in their arguments that achievement of proportional representation would remove that unfairness, and that power would be allocated to the parties in the House of Commons commensurate with their proportion of the seats there. This paper evaluates that case and finds it wanting: proportional representation will almost certainly not bring with it proportional power ‐ though it may result in parties that are powerless under the present system having some power.