Elections Bill

Caroline Russell AM proposed the following motion: 

This assembly notes that amendment NC1 to the Elections Bill currently before Parliament aims to amend the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to change the system for electing the Mayor of London.

This amendment would remove the ability of voters to choose a first and second preference, and remove the requirement for someone to be elected Mayor only after a majority of voters who express a preference have chosen them.

We believe that:

1. This would be a backwards step, depriving Londoners of their second preference votes and the ability fully to express their choices for Mayor.
2. The fact that currently the Mayor must win the support of a majority of those casting their votes strengthens democracy and makes sure the powerful executive office of the Mayor of London has to listen to all Londoners, and reach out across political divisions.
3. Any such fundamental change to the terms that govern the elected office of Mayor of London should not be agreed only by Parliament, but be subject to a referendum of Londoners, in the same way that the original founding of the GLA was supported by a referendum. The proposals put to referendum were explicit about the voting system to use and it followed a consultation where the majority of responses were against the use of the first-past-the-post system to elect the Mayor, and which gave strong support for a system which would give the winning candidate a clear majority.

We therefore call on the Chair of the Assembly to write to London’s MPs, relevant ministers and the Prime Minister to request that this amendment is withdrawn or removed from the final Bill, or amended to allow for a referendum to be held to establish Londoners’ consent for this change.

We also ask that the Chair discusses this motion with the current Mayor, with the aim of agreeing a joint approach to this issue"

Following debate, and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed with 18 votes being cast in favour and 1 vote being cast against.