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The campaign for truly local democracy in Scotland is growing

Last 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

59 years since Enid Lakeman defended fair votes in Ireland

Last weekend marked the 59th anniversary of a major event in the Society’s history and the history of the campaign for fair votes. In June 1959, Ireland held a referendum that would determine the very...

Posted 18 Jun 2018

Revealed: The Lords is increasingly out of touch with modern Britain

To many of us, the House of Lords looks very much like a private members’ club – a cosy corner of Westminster, where unelected peers vote on our laws. But just how out of touch...

Posted 18 Jun 2018

Why are Ministers celebrating citizens losing their right to vote?

In a comment piece for The Times this week, Chloe Smith, Minister for the Constitution, made some bold claims about the government’s voter ID trials, which took place in five areas last month. She said the...

Posted 08 Jun 2018

Inside the funny world of ‘contempt of Parliament’

It’s a commonly established practice that Parliamentary select committees can ask witnesses to attend hearings and answer questions. This frequently happens during inquiries – like the culture committee’s current investigation into the role of fake...

Posted 08 Jun 2018

Finally, some action to reign in the ‘online wild west’ – but there’s much more to be done

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has announced a crackdown on the online political advertising industry following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Speaking at a hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home...

Posted 06 Jun 2018

Voters want to tackle Britain’s real democratic problems – not impose voter ID

Despite the fact that last month’s Voter ID trials disenfranchised (at least) hundreds of people, the government seems to be set on making it national policy. Why? Ostensibly, the government says it is about tackling...

Posted 06 Jun 2018

How Scottish campaigners are helping local communities take back power

Levels 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

Slovenia had an election, but who actually won?

“Slovenian nationalist party wins parliamentary election” declares the Guardian. “Anti-immigration party wins Slovenia elections” says CNBC. “Anti-immigrant party wins divisive Slovenian election as coalition talks set to begin” says the Telegraph. The Slovenian Democratic Party...

Posted 05 Jun 2018

There’s a sham election happening in Parliament. Here’s what you need to know

The idea that people can become lawmakers for life – simply because they were born into the ‘right’ family – is, to most of us, absurd. Yet in the UK, in 2018, this is the...

Posted 04 Jun 2018