May missed majority by 0.0017%

THERESA May could have won a majority if just 0.0017 per cent more voters had backed her, a report has revealed.

The Electoral reform Society (ERS) found the conservatives would have secured an absolute majority on the basis of just 533 extra votes in the nine most marginal constituencies.

A working majority could have been achieved on just 75 additional votes in the right places, it said.

The 2017 general election saw an increase in very marginal seats, with 11 constituencies won by fewer than 100 votes. North East Fife was held by the SNP by just two votes.

In the report, the ERS, which campaigns for a change to the voting system, said: ‘Despite the increase in very mar- ginal seats, for many the election was business as usual.

‘ Though several high- profile seats changed hands... only 99 of 650 seats actually elected a new representative (12 of whom were former MPs), and only 70 seats (10.8 per cent) changed party hands in spite of significant volatility.

‘Many seats saw massively increased majorities for the incumbent, meaning for many voters the place in which they vote is ever more unlikely to be represented by a different party. Voters in key marginals experience a very different election to the rest of the country.’

The report said parties were increasingly able to ‘micro-target’ voters in only specific seats thanks to new technology. ‘Election spending is always forced by the system into a handful of marginal constituencies, but this year saw this activity move more significantly online.

‘ Micro- targeting strategies were employed by parties this election to ensure even greater focus on key seats.’

Elections are now more like a lottery than a real choice, with 22 million votes cast in June having no impact on the result, the ERS claimed.

A spokesman said: ‘For the third time in a row, Westminster’s voting system has failed to do what it says on the tin – produce a strong and stable government. June’s election has shown first-past-thepost is unable to cope with people’s changing voting habits.’

A Government spokesman said: ‘First-past-the-post is a voting system that offers a robust method of electing MPs.’