Articles and Insights

Accessible commentary and insights from the Electoral Reform Society on the issues shaping our democracy.

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Working together

What is the best way for parties to share power? How can you make minority government work? And how do you negotiate a successful coalition? These are some of the questions likely to be at the forefront...

Posted 23 Mar 2015

A sectarian voting system

The announcement by the two main unionist parties in Northern Ireland that they have entered into an electoral pact for the up-coming general election highlights a major problem with our electoral system. The idea that parties step...

Posted 20 Mar 2015

Shifting boundaries

With the General Election now just weeks away, and speculation about possible coalition arrangements taking centre stage, it would be easy to overlook a very important and immediate legislative priority that the new government, whatever...

Posted 16 Mar 2015

Women in Westminster

One of the chief reasons why people are increasingly alienated from our politics is the fact that Westminster looks so little like the people it is there to represent. At the moment, barely one in...

Posted 13 Mar 2015

Democratising Devo Manc

The ERS has long campaigned for devolution to the local level, but the Society also campaigns for proportional representation at a local level. Here ERS Deputy Chief Executive Darren Hughes outlines why they should go hand...

Posted 25 Feb 2015

Deal or no deal

The public are sick to death of party funding scandals. Over the last two weeks we have been exposed to yet more findings about the suspect dealings of party donors. It brings our democracy into...

Posted 19 Feb 2015

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