New law restores fairer voting system for mayoral electionsOn 29 April 2026, the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill received Royal Assent. This means that it has passed all stages of its parliamentary progress, through the House of Commons and House of Lords...Posted 30 Apr 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
England’s previous local elections show what’s wrong with our voting systemTime and time again, England’s local elections repeatedly produce results that simply don’t reflect how people vote. If you live in England, you might be casting a vote for your councillors in a local election...Posted 27 Apr 2026
Government right to reverse the decision to postpone these local electionsThe fundamental principle of democracy is that people get to regularly express their view on the politicians who make decisions that affect them. So it is welcome that the government has today reversed the decision...Posted 16 Feb 2026
Local election delays: It’s unacceptable to treat voters like a bureaucratic inconvenienceElections are a crucial part of the democratic process. Citizens have the right to expect a regular opportunity to express a view about who should exercise power in their name, at all levels of government....Posted 22 Jan 2026
Councillors keep winning with less than a third of the vote – what can England and Wales learn from Scotland?Each week, usually on a Thursday, a number of local council by-elections take place around Britain. As with UK parliamentary by-elections, these take place when a representative either resigns or dies and there is a...Posted 23 Sep 2025
MPs vote to cut short First Past the Post’s imposition on MayorsOn 2 September 2025, the House of Commons held the second reading of the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill. While the bill covers many areas, one of the clauses is something we have been...Posted 03 Sep 2025
Government decision to restore Supplementary Vote system elections is a big win for votersToday we can celebrate a big win in the fight for a fairer democracy. The government has announced in its English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill that it will be scrapping First Past the Post...Posted 10 Jul 2025
Fairer results and real representation: 25 years of PR on the London AssemblyToday marks 25 years since the London Assembly was formally launched. This means, a quarter of a century ago, the people of London gained a new voice – and an ability to elect their new...Posted 03 Jul 2025
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