It’s time to rebalance the powers of the London Mayor and Assembly This week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’re running a series of articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. For the first two articles in the ‘Building a... Posted 13 Oct 2016
PR across the pond: the push for fair votes in the US This week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’re running a series of discussion articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. Yesterday we published our first piece in the series,... Posted 11 Oct 2016
A better voting system for the London Assembly This week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’re running a series of articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. For the first article in the ‘Building a Better... Posted 10 Oct 2016
“Plîs, Syr, Gallwn Gael Ychydig Mwy?”: Rhaglen Lywodraethu Cymru Pan ddatganwyd y byddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn gohirio ei Raglen Llywodraethu am 100 diwrnod, mi gododd fy nisgwyliadau. Gan gymryd i ystyriaeth y shifft tectonig enfawr yn Brexit, bod arweinyddiaeth newydd yn Llywodraeth y DU,... Posted 28 Sep 2016
Please, sir, can we have some more? The Welsh Programme for Government Mae fersiwn Cymraeg o’r blog yma ar gael yma When the Welsh Government announced its Programme for Government would be delayed for 100 days, my expectations were raised. Taking into account of the huge tectonic... Posted 27 Sep 2016
Why PR must be at the heart of Labour’s reform agenda: Katie Ghose at #Lab16 The following is based on Katie Ghose’s speech at the launch of the Fabian Society’s new report on democratic reform (‘Politics by People’) at Labour Party conference on the 25th September. You can read about... Posted 26 Sep 2016
Why cutting the number of MPs could cut democratic scrutiny too Last week we saw the first proposals for the new constituency boundaries, drawn up by the Boundary Commission. It’s certainly caused a stir – with allegations flying around about which parties it will hit harder, whether it... Posted 23 Sep 2016
5 simple ways to improve how we do democracy It seems like the distant past now, but in the few weeks up to the registration deadline for the EU referendum, more than 1.35 million people applied to register. On the day of the deadline, 525,000 people applied to... Posted 20 Sep 2016
The ludicrousness of hereditary peer by-elections The British constitution, its parliament and its institutions are well known for its oddities and eccentricities: the space provided in the Commons cloakroom for MPs to hang their sword; the fact that all swans in... Posted 15 Sep 2016
This boundary review risks skewing our democracy. It’s time to think again It’s fair to say the boundary review has caused a stir. Why? Let’s start with the whole basis of this shakeup. The boundary redrawing is being conducted on the basis of registered electors – rather than the actual... Posted 14 Sep 2016