Proposals to introduce compulsory voting in the United Kingdom, including a £10 fine for non-participation, have gained traction among senior advisers to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and within influential think tanks connected to the Labour Party. While compulsory voting is not currently part of the government’s formal agenda, multiple recent initiatives suggest it is under active consideration as part of broader electoral reform discussions.

The idea has surfaced through several channels. Labour MPs have made attempts to embed compulsory voting into legislation, specifically via an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill. Introduced by Antonia Bance, the MP for Tipton and Wednesbury, the amendment called for the establishment of a “duty to vote” backed by a £10 penalty for abstaining voters. The proposal includes exemptions for individuals unable to vote due to illness, disability, religious or conscientious objections, or being abroad.

Three think tanks with close ties to Labour have also advocated for the measure. Think Labour, formerly known as Labour Together, published a paper supporting compulsory voting ahead of the Labour leadership contest. Alison Phillips, now Burnham’s deputy chief of staff, endorsed this paper. Similarly, Demos urged the new prime minister to implement compulsory voting within his first 100 days in office. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which has contributed policy ideas to Labour, released a report on July 10 proposing compulsory voting paired with a “none of the above” ballot option and a modest £10 fine. This report has reportedly been reviewed by members of Burnham’s transition team, including officials who have since joined Downing Street.

Support for compulsory voting is also visible among parliamentarians across party lines. An amendment introduced by Bell Ribeiro-Addy and backed by Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Green MPs called for compulsory voting to be accompanied by enhanced civic education efforts aimed at increasing engagement and political literacy.

Advocates point to ongoing concerns about low voter turnout—particularly among younger and disadvantaged groups—and the unequal impact on democratic representation. According to polling conducted by the Constitution Society in April, 48 percent of the public support compulsory voting, compared to 42 percent who oppose it, with only 20 percent expressing strong opposition.

Proponents argue that compulsory voting could help break a cycle where politicians focus policy priorities on groups likelier to vote, exacerbating political disengagement among marginalized demographics. Turnout disparities are stark: in the 2024 general election, only 56 percent of eligible voters aged 18 to 24 participated, compared with 81 percent of those aged 61 and older. Additionally, there was a nearly 20 percentage-point participation gap between graduates and individuals with lower educational attainment.

Nick Garland, lead author of the IPPR report, emphasized that while electoral system reform toward greater proportionality remains important, adopting compulsory voting modeled on systems like Australia’s should be considered a complementary measure.

The reexamination of voting requirements comes as Burnham has expressed willingness to revisit how Britain elects its governments, signaling potential shifts in future Labour manifesto commitments. However, as of now, compulsory voting has not been formally included in policy platforms, leaving its future as an electoral reform measure uncertain.