The difference between proportional and preferential voting systems – and why it mattersWhen is an electoral reform not proportional? That question matters because support for scrapping First Past the Post is growing, yet not every alternative would solve Westminster’s central democratic problem: Parliaments that don’t reflect how...Posted 11 Jun 2026
A council with no overall control isn’t the same as one with proportional representationMay’s English local elections ended one-party dominance in over 30 councils, with 64 of the 136 councils now under no overall control. But a council under no overall control elected by First Past the Post,...Posted 03 Jun 2026
Why we need to change the way we elect our councillors in England and WalesDiscussions around changing the voting system often refer to Westminster, yet the same problems that stifle the government of the UK apply at a much more local level. Just like in Parliament, councils across England...Posted 28 Apr 2026
How Scotland’s Holyrood elections work will work this MayThe 2024 General Election in Scotland was a one-sided affair. Scottish Labour won 35.3% of the vote in Scotland and 64.9% of the available seats. While the SNP came a narrow second place on 30%...Posted 23 Apr 2026
There is a new way of voting at the Senedd election this May. How does it work?Whatever happens in May, the next Senedd election is set to be historic. For instance, recent polling has pointed to the chance that Labour might not be the largest party in the Senedd for the...Posted 02 Apr 2026
Scotland’s Parliament still has too much First Past the PostWhen the Scottish Parliament was created, it was built to be different to Westminster. A system designed to reflect how all Scots voted, not just who comes first in each area. Scotland uses what is...Posted 25 Mar 2026
Is it possible to opt out of political leaflets through the letterbox?Written by Thomas Worth In the months leading up to elections, voters are often inundated with all sorts of literature from political parties and candidates. From leaflets to surveys, or even sudoku puzzles, political parties...Posted 19 Mar 2026
Why Holyrood’s voting system still favours larger partiesEveryone knows that First Past the Post favours the largest party. At the last Westminster election, Labour managed to turn 34% of the vote into 63% of parliament – a full 29 percentage points more....Posted 24 Feb 2026
What can the Effective Number of Parties tell us about First Past the Post?Written by Thomas Worth The results of the 2024 General Election were the most disproportional in British political history. The current Labour government was elected on just 33.7% of the vote, but took 63.2% of...Posted 19 Feb 2026
Why voting isn’t like drinking or smokingI’m pretty glad that 12-year-olds aren’t allowed to drive buses. We have age restrictions on many things for pretty good reasons in the UK, and preventing children from careering down the high street in a...Posted 19 Jan 2026