Robert Philpot has an excellent analysis of the need for the Conservative party to adopt electoral reform as a platform (via):

Bale’s solution is simple: the Tories should come out in favour of PR. As he correctly argues, the Conservatives’ hitherto staunch defence of the current electoral system rests on a mix of “parochialism, idealism and self-interest”. Indeed, the principal attraction of First Past the Post for the Tories is that throughout the 20th century it more often than not delivered majority Conservative governments. With the exception of 1945 and 1966, the Conservatives were clear beneficiaries from the current electoral system at every post-war general election, up to and including John Major’s victory in 1992.

What’s now clear, however, is that political, socio-economic and demographic change has made First Past the Post a much less reliable friend of the Tory party than it once was: at each of the last three elections it left them badly under-represented. Last year, for instance, the Conservatives held a 50,000-vote lead over Labour in England, but still ended up 92 seats behind them.

As the Conservatives are no doubt aware, First Past the Post will require them to substantially outpoll Labour in order to achieve relatively modest goals at the next election.

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One further political consideration should impress Cameron. As an analysis of the 2005 general election by Conservative Action on Electoral Reform (CAER) indicates, a more proportional electoral system would see the Tories losing some seats where they are currently over-represented (Surrey, Berkshire, and Hampshire, for instance), while gaining seats in not only Scotland and Wales, but also just the kind of northern and urban areas - like Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Tyne and Wear- that Cameron appears so keen to boost the Tory presence in. And, as CAER notes, “there are still plenty of Conservatives in the big cities, just a shortage of Conservative MPs to represent them”.

But Cameron does not have the luxury of a great deal of time to consider his options. After all, who would seriously wager a bet that, as he thinks ahead, the current occupant of No 11 Downing Street may not already be considering that a new pledge to honour Labour’s commitment on PR might not be just the thing to give a fillip to his fledgling “progressive consensus”?

The Tories, by any sane analysis, need electoral reform just as much as the nation does.

Dave? Are you listening Dave? It’s a really good idea Dave.