An important victory for voters, but no time for complacencyIn the wake of the pomp and pageantry of the Queen’s speech last week, a victory for the voter emerged from the Cabinet Office in the form of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill. Last...Posted 16 May 2012
England let down by elections as Scotland leads the waySince Thursday’s local elections we’ve been crunching the numbers. Did voters get a fair deal? What has breaking from First Past the Post meant for Scotland? Well what we’re seeing is a widening gulf between local democracy...Posted 09 May 2012
A little reminder to MPs on Lords Reform…We hear news that rebels are preparing to topple the coming Lords Reform Bill. One PPS is quoted in today’s Guardian saying: We will resign to vote against the programme motion. We want to ensure that...Posted 29 Apr 2012
Examining the case for directly elected mayorsDoes Bristol, Birmingham or Bradford want a Boris? We find out next Thursday when these and seven other English cities give voters a choice as to whether to adopt the directly elected mayor model. Yet...Posted 26 Apr 2012
140,000 reasons for reform:Next week voters across 21 of Wales’ 22 unitary authorities will head to the polls to decide the political make-up of their local councils. Voters will express a view on where they want to see...Posted 26 Apr 2012
Behind the excuses and the finger pointing – the bitter pill of party fundingSo here we are again. Once more the headlines boom with a brand new ‘cash-for influence’ scandal. Peter Cruddas, millionaire and Tory donor come hapless Tory treasurer, has been caught in an old fashioned sting...Posted 26 Mar 2012
Reporting back from Welsh Labour ConferenceBy Owain Llyr ap Gareth, Research and Campaigns Officer, Electoral Reform Society Wales After entering the empty room an hour before the first of our two fringe meetings at the Welsh Labour conference – looking at...Posted 19 Mar 2012
House of Lords reform: Independence, expertise and a strange case of false logicThe argument that independence and expertise exist in abundance amongst our current peers is now being cited as a key reason against reforming the House of Lords. If preserving these features is a core argument against reform,...Posted 15 Mar 2012
Asking the important questions about a Scottish independence referendumThe likelihood of Scotland voting in a referendum on independence was something most Scots had accepted would occur at some stage before the next Scottish Parliament election in 2016. We talked about it in passing,...Posted 07 Feb 2012
Interests aside – what’s right for Wales?The Electoral Reform Society Wales launched our new report today analysing the results of the Welsh Assembly Elections in May 2011. The report shows what the results could have looked like had they been conducted...Posted 22 Nov 2011