Ed Davey – Liberal Democrat Leadership InterviewElectoral Reform Society Chief Executive Darren Hughes spoke with Lib Dem leadership candidate Ed Davey Darren Hughes: Ed, thank you very much for joining us as part of your campaign I know that you’ve always...Posted 12 Jul 2019
Jo Swinson – Liberal Democrat Leadership InterviewOur Chief Executive Darren Hughes interviewed Liberal Democrat Leadership hopeful Jo Swinson on her democratic priorities. Darren Hughes: Let’s kick off with what we’re about at the ERS! Do you think recent events and politics...Posted 12 Jul 2019
An election could happen at any time – electoral law needs to be urgently updatedLast week, the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee published its response to the government’s Online Harms White Paper, where it called for urgent legislation to safeguard future elections. Echoing the...Posted 11 Jul 2019
Support grows for new way of doing democracy, as hundreds discuss Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland plansIt’s clear that there is a growing appetite for a new kind of democracy, after hundreds gathered on Monday evening to debate plans for a Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland. At a sold-out panel Q&A hosted...Posted 10 Jul 2019
Four pitfalls and opportunities for the Citizens’ Assembly of ScotlandNext Monday, the firing gun will be started on the Scottish Government’s plans for a ‘Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland’. Hundreds will gather to discuss what this might look like, what it might involve, and how...Posted 05 Jul 2019
We’ve told Parliament the case for updating our campaign rules – now it’s time to actCurrent electoral legislation is not fit for purpose. The core elements of our electoral law date back to Victorian times, with legislation failing to keep up with societal and cultural changes, and developments in digital...Posted 28 Jun 2019
Why we’re calling on Boris Johnson to take part in the TV debatesIn our fragile democracy, we need all the opportunities possible to hold public figures to account. So it’s all the more galling when one of those opportunities is stripped away. Now a broadcaster (Sky) has...Posted 26 Jun 2019
Why a directly elected PM could trigger a constitutional crisisThis piece was originally published by The Times In the current Conservative Party leadership election MPs and party members will select the next leader of the party — itself no strange thing. We’ve seen similar...Posted 21 Jun 2019
Citizens’ assemblies can help us move beyond a broken Westminster model of politicsThis piece was originally published by The Scotsman. Talk of citizens’ assemblies is in the air. Former Conservative leadership contender, Rory Stewart has suggested holding one to break through the Brexit impasse. And on Monday,...Posted 20 Jun 2019
Democracy needs you: Cross-party group seeks evidence for how to update Britain’s ‘wild west’ campaign rulesLast month saw a landmark in the push to overhaul Britain’s dangerously out-dated political campaigns laws. MPs from across the political divide stepped up efforts to update Britain’s analogue-age election rules, by launching the All...Posted 10 Jun 2019