News and Comment

The latest news and commentary from the Electoral Reform Society.

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When NOTA wins

This is a guest post by ERS member and NOTA UK researcher Rohin Vadera. The views, opinions and positions expressed within are those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent those of the Electoral Reform...

Posted 16 Feb 2015

End the patronage

Earlier this week the UCL’s Constitution Unit released a new report titled Enough is Enough, outlining the ludicrous situation of Lords appointments. The House of Lords is now the second largest chamber on the planet, only...

Posted 12 Feb 2015

House of Lords

#MergerHeWrote: Steve Reed MP on Sharing Power With Citizens

Our second article in the Merger He Wrote series is from guest writer Steve Reed.  Steve is Labour MP for Croydon North, UK Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention, and Hon. President of the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network. ...

Posted 11 Feb 2015

Pick your numbers

At every election, it seems, we are told that the poll is ‘historic’, that it is the ‘most important in a generation’ because the country is ‘at the crossroads’. What makes 2015 a contender for...

Posted 09 Feb 2015

lottery balls

Registering to Vote – What You Need to Know

Our intrepid Scotland Campaigns and Research Officer Juliet Swann outlines what the new Individual Electoral Registration system means for you. Last year a law was passed that changed how we register to vote in the...

Posted 05 Feb 2015

#MergerHeWrote: Leighton’s Localism

In the first article of the ‘Merger, He Wrote’ series, Steve Brooks director of the Electoral Reform Society Cymru reflects on the Welsh Government’s new white paper on local democracy. For the last two decades,...

Posted 04 Feb 2015

‘Reinforcing’ Syriza

Much excitement in the European press today as Greece’s left-wing, Eurosceptic and anti-austerity Syriza has come two seats short of an absolute majority in the Greek parliamentary election, allowing them to form a coalition with the right-wing,...

Posted 26 Jan 2015

Greek temple

Time for a Convention!

Today’s publication of draft legislation to devolve powers to Scotland makes the case for a UK-wide, citizen-led Constitutional Convention ever more pressing. All the parties vowed to devolve more powers to Scotland, and no one is suggesting...

Posted 22 Jan 2015

Permission to share power?

When it comes to forming a coalition, is it better to get your party on side before committing, or to take the plunge without consultation? The Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps has recently said that...

Posted 19 Jan 2015