Where have all the working class MPs gone?The relationship between an individual’s social background and the way they vote has become much weaker in recent times with class no longer acting as a relatively accurate predictor of party preference. Voters are now...Posted 03 Jul 2012
A fair cop for women? Female Police and Crime Commissioner candidates in less winnable seatsYesterday, the Labour Party became the first party to finalise its candidates for the 41 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to be elected this November. There have been widespread fears that this new role will be heavily...Posted 20 Jun 2012
A People’s Gathering on the Scottish ConstitutionMaybe our democracy never really worked that well. Maybe increased transparency and developments in technology mean that ordinary people are able to appreciate the realities of power and its misuse. Maybe the modern age has...Posted 02 Jun 2012
Electoral Reform for Eurovision?Eurovision is upon us once again with everyone’s favourite celebration of Europe’s questionable musical talent. Certain traditions will no doubt hold: certain acts will be flamboyantly silly, Britain will score badly and after it is...Posted 24 May 2012
Voter registration: lessons from the USBy Dr Toby S James, Swansea University In the 1980s American academics Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward, alongside the organisation Human SERVE, campaigned to make voting and registering to vote easier for citizens. At...Posted 21 May 2012
An important victory for voters, but no time for complacencyIn the wake of the pomp and pageantry of the Queen’s speech last week, a victory for the voter emerged from the Cabinet Office in the form of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill. Last...Posted 16 May 2012
England let down by elections as Scotland leads the waySince Thursday’s local elections we’ve been crunching the numbers. Did voters get a fair deal? What has breaking from First Past the Post meant for Scotland? Well what we’re seeing is a widening gulf between local democracy...Posted 09 May 2012
Women’s legislative recruitment: no simple explanation, no single panaceaRosie Campbell, Birkbeck University London & Sarah Childs, University of Bristol It is a widely held view that the first-past-the-post electoral system disadvantages women and that electoral reform would improve the representation of women in the UK...Posted 08 May 2012
Asking a different question on the anniversary of AVA year ago the Yes campaign was soundly defeated in the AV referendum. Bad timing, an imperfect alternative and an opposition willing to fight dirty all worked in favour of First Past the Post, and...Posted 06 May 2012
A little reminder to MPs on Lords Reform…We hear news that rebels are preparing to topple the coming Lords Reform Bill. One PPS is quoted in today’s Guardian saying: We will resign to vote against the programme motion. We want to ensure that...Posted 29 Apr 2012