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Is there a limit to political donations in the UK?

Political parties cost money to run. In the UK, they’re funded by a variety of sources, including membership fees, grants, and donations. Donations come from individuals, companies, and trade unions. The Electoral Commission reported that...

Posted 04 Jun 2025

If the Government wants to ensure that we, the voters, trust our democratic institutions, it needs to start with ending the reign of big donors

ERS Scottish Spring conference draws crowd in Edinburgh

Sometimes it is useful to take some time to digest an event fully, and come to some considerations about it. A few weeks ago, on April 26th, the Electoral Reform Society Scotland collaborated with a...

Posted 02 Jun 2025

A Scottish Spring Conference photo of guests

What’s wrong with First Past the Post?

First Past the Post (FPTP) is the name for the voting system used to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to Westminster. It’s also used in a variety of other elections across the UK, including local...

Posted 07 May 2025

In a representative democracy, we ought to have a Parliament that matches the way people voted

New research on the chilling effect of voter ID published

New research published last month by Dr Tom Barton at Kings College London shows the potential detrimental effect of new voter ID laws on turnout. The research shows that the Voter ID requirement deterred and...

Posted 07 May 2025

research shows that the Voter ID requirement deterred and effectively disenfranchised an estimated 10,571 potential voters

Why are our mayors winning on less than 30% of the vote?

This past week’s mayoral elections marked a worrying milestone for democracy in England. For the first time ever, two combined authority mayors have been elected on less than 30% of the vote – with one...

Posted 07 May 2025

With growing support for more parties, voters are demanding more choice

The end of the two-party system? What the experts are saying about the 2025 local elections

Since the votes cast in the local elections were counted on Friday there has been extensive debate among experts and in the media about whether we are seeing the end of the two-party system. This...

Posted 07 May 2025

The two party system is coming under pressure in a way not seen for a generation

One year to go until a Senedd election all about change

In a year’s time, voters across Wales will head to the polls to elect a new Senedd for the seventh time since devolution was first established over 25 years ago. However, this election promises to...

Posted 07 May 2025

This election marks a turning point - not just in who governs Wales, but in how that governance works

Are we going to see Mayors elected with even lower levels of public support in 2025?

Four Combined Authority mayors will be elected on 1 May 2025, but changes to the rules could see mayors taking power with little public support locally. Voters are going to the polls in the following...

Posted 24 Apr 2025

Mayors could be elected with the backing of fewer than 30 percent of voters

It’s no accident that there are not enough women in Parliament

Women’s equal representation in Parliament matters for a host of reasons. From the simple fact that 50% of us are women – to research that points to improved decision-making when women are involved in leadership,...

Posted 24 Apr 2025

Our Parliament has made positive steps toward equal representation, but there’s still room for improvement

First Past the Post has played havoc with Canadian federal elections

Earlier this year, we wrote about Justin Trudeau’s regret at failing to deliver electoral reform during his near decade as Canada’s Prime Minister, despite first coming to power with a manifesto commitment to end First...

Posted 24 Apr 2025