Debate: will a PR model provide the desired political system?

My quote, originally published in Economia, the member publication for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales:

Owen Winter

Co-founder, Make Votes Matter

“Millions feel unrepresented because first past the post (FPTP) distorts how people vote. In 2017 the DUP and Conservatives won a majority of seats with just 43% of the vote. The Greens, UKIP and Lib Dems got just 2% of MPs for 11% of the vote. Instead of all votes counting equally, FPTP privileges a small number of swing voters in an even smaller number of marginal seats.

“Most countries use some form of proportional representation (PR). Under PR, seats in parliament match how people have voted. There are various PR systems but they are well tested around the world. Evidence shows that PR countries have higher voter turnout and better representation of women and minorities. Voters in these systems tend to have higher levels of satisfaction with democracy.

“The democratic case for PR is undeniable, but PR systems have also been shown to improve social, environmental and economic outcomes. Political scientists have found that PR countries have better long-term decision making, take faster action on climate change, are more equal and less likely to go to war.”