UK’s second-largest trade union votes to oppose First Past the Post

Unite members have voted to oppose the First Past the Post electoral system at their policy conference today.

Unite the Union, commonly known as Unite, is the UK’s second largest trade union with over 1.4 million members.

The vote sees Unite join three other Labour affiliated unions in supporting electoral reform.

The move comes just weeks after Labour Party members overwhelmingly supported a motion calling on the party to support proportional representation at the party’s Annual Conference, a motion that ultimately fell due to lack of support from the party’s affiliated trade unions.

Nancy Platts, Coordinator of the Politics for the Many Campaign said: “Trade unions have long been at the forefront of demands for a democracy that puts working people front and centre. And now our movement continues that fight for the modern-day.

“Support for proportional representation is growing across the Labour movement as up and down the country working people see our broken system centralising control in the hands of a few as ordinary people pay the price.