SNP delegates pack out ERS Scotland fringesOn Sunday at SNP spring conference, delegates showed their interest in a deliberative and local democracy by packing out 2 events hosted by ERS Scotland. The first, a discussion around the merits of citizens’ assemblies,...Posted 01 May 2019
ERS in the Press – March 2019Brexit might be dominating the news, but the rolling constitutional crisis that we call Westminster is still up to its usual tricks. We’ve spent the last month getting press attention for some of our biggest...Posted 29 Mar 2019
Scotland needs new institutions to transform our local communitiesCan you remember a time you were talking with someone and the response you got back meant that it was blatantly obvious that they hadn’t understood what you were saying? You try again, but again...Posted 27 Feb 2019
What is a Citizens’ Assembly?Citizens’ Assemblies are often in the news, from the assemblies that led to the referendums on equal marriage and abortion in Ireland, to the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland and local council climate assemblies. While the...Posted 24 Jan 2019
Local government in Scotland is top-down and distant – but we can change thatIf there was once a connection between elected councillors in Scotland and the communities they supposedly represent, this has long since fallen away. City halls are often worlds apart from the communities within their apparent...Posted 01 Jan 2019
Building a better democracy – 2018 and the Electoral Reform SocietyAs a sense of crisis dominates national life, electoral reformers offer an alternative to the way we do politics in the UK. The shadow of the last three general elections is cast wide over Westminster,...Posted 10 Dec 2018
Long Read: What’s gone wrong with our democracy – and how do we fix it?This is a time of high political anxiety. No one seems to be very sure of much anymore. Not that long ago it all seemed so different. The twentieth century was a time of tremendous...Posted 14 Aug 2018
The campaign for truly local democracy in Scotland is growingLast weekend – a rare sunny Saturday in Glasgow – around 500 people gathered not to drink cocktails in the shade – but to discuss the future of Scottish democracy: a new vision for ‘taking...Posted 26 Jun 2018
How Scottish campaigners are helping local communities take back powerLevels of local representation in Scotland are the lowest in Europe – leaving many feeling powerless. But now campaigners are hoping to change that. Back in 2016, research for Electoral Reform Society Scotland revealed 76...Posted 05 Jun 2018
Five ways we can revive our elections in ScotlandThere is much to admire about the way elections are held in Scotland. Generally speaking, they are transparent, accessible, and ensure seats match how people actually vote at the ballot box. But that isn’t to...Posted 22 Mar 2018