It’s time for Westminster to join Scotland in shunning First Past the Post First Past the Post elections are like trying to peel potatoes with a chainsaw. For much of the UK, people have come to think this clunking old method of giving people a say is the same as... Posted 24 Aug 2017
The myth that Westminster’s voting system is ‘strong and stable’ has been bust for good If ‘strong and stable’ has been the motto of Parliament’s First Past the Post voting system, June 5th put an end to that myth once and for all. For the third time in a row,... Posted 24 Aug 2017
June 2017’s election was the third strike for Westminster’s voting system. It’s out The evidence is there for us all to see now: the 2017 General Election was the third strike for the First Past the Post voting system. From producing a Parliament where no party got more... Posted 21 Aug 2017
We have a chance to revitalise British democracy – I look forward to leading the push On Monday I began my role as Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society – the world’s longest-standing pro-democracy group. I join at a time of huge change for democracy in the UK. The ERS has grown... Posted 08 Aug 2017
As I move on from the ERS, I know that we can win By Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society Today is my last day at the ERS. What a journey it’s been. My time since joining in 2010 has been an exciting period –... Posted 30 Jun 2017
2017 was the first online media election. Let’s look at what this means for democracy According to recent research from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2017 was the first general election where online news over took TV as the most popular source of news. But whilst this... Posted 29 Jun 2017
Britain is changing, so should our electoral system So, the Conservatives and DUP have agreed a deal. Despite the two previous elections failing to secure a ‘strong and stable’ government, few saw this coming. There’s a reason for that. Despite all evidence to... Posted 28 Jun 2017
‘Strong and stable’? Westminster’s voting system is anything but Voters won’t be bossed about – perhaps that’s the first lesson we should take from the election. From voting for a parliament where no party got more than half the seats in an election hinged... Posted 15 Jun 2017
First Past the Post’s Third Strike We’ve heard it time and time again in different forms: First Past the Post is ‘strong and stable’. It seems that myth has been well and truly bust. This is the third election in a... Posted 12 Jun 2017
The scourge of tactical voting A fifth of voters feel unable to back the party they most support this election, according to polling for the ERS. It’s more than twice the number as in 2015. This is a situation foisted... Posted 07 Jun 2017