News and Comment

The latest news and commentary from the Electoral Reform Society.

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Citizens want a say on devolution

Last weekend was the final of two ‘Citizens’ Assemblies’ across the UK as part of a ground-breaking project to engage the public in the devolution debate. And one thing that kept coming up was that...

Posted 20 Nov 2015

Red cards and re-negotiations

Today, Prime Minister David Cameron has written to President of the European Council Donald Tusk setting out his demands for a renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the European Union. One of the four planks of the PM’s...

Posted 10 Nov 2015

Good news for Welsh elections

The UK Government today released their draft Wales Bill, continuing the process of the Silk Commission through to the St David’s Day declaration. It is clear that these proposals – in particular how powers are...

Posted 20 Oct 2015

Canada heads to the polls

Of all the former colonies to which Britain has left behind the Westminster model of democracy perhaps none so obviously resembles the UK in its politics as Canada. Canadians have a House of Commons with...

Posted 19 Oct 2015

Canadian Election

Our bloated second chamber

The House of Lords is already the biggest chamber in the democratic world – yet it is growing in size with each new government. As peers sit in the chamber for life, it grows with...

Posted 19 Oct 2015

House of Lords

What is the plural of referendum? Political disengagement…

Switzerland. A land of chocolate, neutrality and a surprisingly well-armed population. Switzerland is also home to a unique democratic system, the closest to direct democracy in the world. Citizens have the ability to force two types...

Posted 15 Oct 2015

Localism and devolution – ERS at Labour conference

“Devolution is a hot topic,” said Jane Dudman, Guardian Public Leaders editor, who chaired the first of three ERS fringe events at Labour Party Conference 2015. The topic was: “can Labour reclaim devolution and localism?”...

Posted 13 Oct 2015