Why calls for Liz Kendall to drop out are nonsenseThe rise of Jeremy Corbyn has, it goes without saying, completely shifted the terms and nature of the Labour leadership debate. The panic in much of the Labour Party elite is palpable – whether it...Posted 24 Jul 2015
Devolution needs democracy – politicians should back fair votes for local governmentTomorrow the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill has its Third Reading in the House of Lords – the final stage before it goes back to the Commons. It’s a Bill that will have a...Posted 20 Jul 2015
2015 General Election ResultsVotes for the two largest parties came to just 67.3% combined, with 36.9% of the electorate voting Conservative and 30.4% voting Labour. The number of votes cast for parties other than the Conservatives, Labour or...Posted 19 Jul 2015
Young people in Wales back votes at 16 – and political educationAs the Welsh Assembly publish their major report on votes at 16 today, the young people of Wales have spoken. And it is a clear message – young people want a vote. With 10,375 young people...Posted 15 Jul 2015
Time for a constitutional convention for the EUThe standoff between the European Union, the European Central Bank (ECB), and Greece is a crisis born at least partly from a problem with democracy. In the EU as at any other level we hope...Posted 10 Jul 2015
A Democratic Northern PowerhouseThe Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill, currently making its way through the House of Lords, is the flagship legislation that is to allow the Northern Powerhouse to become a reality. It contains the government...Posted 09 Jul 2015
Why Ruth Davidson supports votes at 16The following is republished with the kind permission of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson. It is one part of Giving 16 and 17 Year Olds the Vote – The Tory Case, a publication from the Tory...Posted 24 Jun 2015
With Proportional Representation small parties get the influence they deserveFor those used to one party getting a majority of the seats (without a majority of votes) the idea that a smaller parties often get to be in government under PR can be confusing. Of...Posted 23 Jun 2015
A new Borgen-ing? Proportional representation and the Danish electionYesterday saw Danes go to the polls. Popularised by the TV show Borgen, Danish politics is fascinating in all sorts of ways, but most of all, we can learn much from its model of democracy....Posted 19 Jun 2015
Scotland leads the way on votes at 16Yesterday, two very different things happened around the same issue in Scotland and England. At 4:22pm in Westminster, during a debate on the EU Referendum Bill, MPs voted 310-265 against giving 16 and 17 year...Posted 19 Jun 2015