A MEETING of Carlisle City Council taking place next Tuesday will hear a call for electoral reform to a "archaic, unfair, unrepresentative" Parliamentary system.

Green Party Councillor for Belah and Kingmoor, Helen Davison will propose that the city council leader writes to Government calling for electoral reform.

If passed, the motion means that the city council will support abandoning the First Post the Post system currently used to elect MPs, in favour of Proportional Representation.

READ MORE: Carlisle MP and Stanwix councillor divided on calls for electoral overhaul

Councillor Judy Fillmore, also of the Green Party is tabling a similar motion at a meeting of Cumbria County Council this Wednesday.

Cllr Davison’s motion reads: "First Past the Post originated when land-owning aristocrats dominated parliament and voting was restricted to property-owning men.

"In Europe, only the UK and authoritarian Belarus still use single-round FPTP for general elections. Meanwhile, internationally, Proportional Representation (PR) is used to elect parliaments in more than 80 countries. Those countries tend to be more equal, freer, consensual and greener.

READ MORE: Police investigating burglary in Bishop's Mill, Dalston

"PR ensures all votes count, have equal value, and those seats won match votes cast. Under PR, MPs and Parliaments better reflect the age, gender and protected characteristics of local communities and the nation.

"MPs better reflecting our communities leads to improved decision-making, wider participation and increased levels of ownership of decisions taken."

If passed, the proposal will call on the leader of the council to write to Government "calling for a change in our outdated electoral laws to enable Proportional Representation to be used for general elections."

READ MORE: Cumbria adult safeguarding concerns fall by nearly 100