“This is the second most disproportionate result in British history” Reform UK donor Zia Yusuf has fumed over the first-past-the-post system.
Under the current system, the candidate with the most votes wins meaning that MPs can be selected according to the preferences of less than 50 per cent of the electorate.
Under preferential systems, such as that used in Australia, voters rank candidates on the ballot, so that if their first choice fails to poll enough to win, then votes for their second choice are still counted.
Speaking to GB News Yusuf condemned the system and pointed out the drawbacks.
He condemned the system and pointed out the drawbacks
GB News
He said: “You’re looking at the national vote share and thinking that that translates into seats.
“I’ve been listening to the programme thus far. Clearly, that is not the case. The data does actually show, If you actually look at it forensically, seat by seat.
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“You cannot make the argument credibly that if Reform did not exist, the Tories would have won a majority. It’s just not true.
“To that point, however, look, we are in a situation where this is the second most disproportionate result of any advanced democracy in history.
“When you look at, for example, about 33.7 per cent vote share for Labour, 63 per cent of the seats Reform, 14.3 per cent of the votes.
“Half a percent. Almost a million votes per seat.”
Smaller parties have long argued they are particularly disadvantaged under first-past-the-post which, they say, means millions of votes are not reflected in the makeup of the House of Commons.
For example, in 2019, the Lib Dems won 11.5 per cent of the vote but ended up with less than two per cent of the seats in the Commons.
He also discussed why he chose to be a Reform donor explaining: “My motivations are that I love my country. I’ve started a business, I sold it last year, and I could see the direction that this country was going in.
“I’m also convinced about what an incredible future this country can have. I feel like we’re at a real inflexion point for the country.
“When Nigel said he wasn’t standing, I must confess I was pretty despondent borderline depressed.
“When he said that he was going to stand, I felt like this was the moment. And if I didn’t do it, I would regret it for the rest of my life. And I said to Nigel, I will help you.
“Yes, with some money. But in any way, shape or form that I can. And that’s what I’m doing.”
