What would the party system look like if the UK had proportional representation?By looking at the experiences of similar countries and the devolved governments, we can see which kinds of party system are most probable given the sorts of voting system that are most likely to be...Posted 09 Jun 2021
Boundary review? It’s time for an electoral system reviewBoundary Review day comes around faster every year it seems. The so-called Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies is now on its third go at suggesting new boundaries. The electoral map has to be updated...Posted 09 Jun 2021
We need to talk about WestminsterDebates about the future of the union and devolution to the UK’s nations and regions continue to dominate the constitutional sphere, as we have set out before, with the results of the May 2021 elections...Posted 04 Jun 2021
A Scottish House of Citizens would be the opposite of Westminster’s institutionally corrupt LordsERS Scotland and the Sortition Foundation have ramped up calls for ‘House of Citizens’ – a revising chamber made up of ordinary voters – in Scotland, following revelations that a Conservative party donor gave the...Posted 03 Jun 2021
Joint Committee on Human Rights investigates voter ID plansThe ERS’ Dr Jess Garland gave evidence to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday 26 May, on the government’s mandatory voter ID plans announced in the Queen’s Speech. Watch it in full here....Posted 01 Jun 2021
Train drivers’ union becomes latest to join the movement for proportional representationASLEF joins the growing number of unions calling for a more equal voting system for Westminster.Posted 28 May 2021
Lords call for decisive action to slim down the ever-expanding second chamberBuried amidst last week’s fall-out from the Queen’s Speech and the elections was the fourth report of the Lord Speaker’s Committee on the Size of the House. The committee, established in 2016 by Lord Fowler,...Posted 21 May 2021
The government’s own research shows millions of people may lack appropriate voter IDThis week’s Queen’s Speech confirmed that the government would be pushing ahead with the Electoral Integrity Bill. As we’ve outlined before, the bill would require voters to present photo identification at the polling station in...Posted 14 May 2021
Voter ID: 18 leading civil society groups unite to call for dangerous plans to be droppedLeading UK civil society groups have united to challenge plans to block those without ID from voting, in a landmark joint statement co-ordinated by the ERS.Posted 14 May 2021
Queen’s Speech: Senior Conservative brands mandatory voter ID ‘illiberal solution for non-existent problem’The government is planning to introduce legislation that will make it harder for millions of ordinary people to vote.Posted 10 May 2021