It’s not just hereditary peers that are ‘hard to justify’ – It’s the whole unelected chamber Before Labour won the 2024 general election, the Labour leader in the House of Lords hinted that if Labour were to take power, we could finally see an end to the 92 hereditary peers in... Posted 30 Mar 2025
In discussion with Plaid Cymru leader Rhun Ap Iorwerth MS: Threats, Challenges and Opportunities for Welsh Democracy Last weekend, Plaid Cymru members gathered in Llandudno for their Spring Conference as they begin to set their sights on the 2026 Senedd election. As part of the event, ERS Cymru Director, Jess Blair, hosted... Posted 27 Mar 2025
The government can do better than this on voter ID Since voter ID was imposed in 2023, we know voters have been turned away from polling stations over 40,000 times and not returned. This alone is a shocking enough fact, but that’s not even the... Posted 24 Mar 2025
Liberal Democrats sense growing opportunities on proportional representation as they assemble for 2025 Spring Conference The Liberal Democrats assembled in the picturesque Yorkshire town of Harrogate this weekend for their spring conference, where they discussed how to build on their success in the general election and maximise the impact of... Posted 24 Mar 2025
We called for a one stop shop for election information – it’s now coming to Wales On Tuesday, the Senedd approved regulations establishing the Welsh Voter Information Platform, as required by Section 26 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024. This platform will centralise election-related information, making it easier... Posted 13 Mar 2025
‘Procedural shenanigans’ as peers debate their own reform The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is being debated again this week in the House of Lords. This bill, as the name suggests, seeks to remove the last 92 hereditary Lords from the second... Posted 11 Mar 2025
Electoral administrators call for an overhaul of elections A fresh call for modernising democracy came last week from the people that run our elections. The Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) have published a new report, New Blueprint for a Modern Electoral Landscape: How... Posted 06 Mar 2025
Another disproportional Westminster election could have profound implications for Scotland and the UK We are living through an uncertain political era. Many old certainties are shifting geopolitically and the UK has only just emerged from a chaotic Westminster parliament that saw three Prime Ministers in a year. Yet... Posted 26 Feb 2025
Rebuilding trust in politics starts with repairing the rules on funding Earlier this month the Electoral Commission heads appeared before a House of Commons select committee with stark warnings about the dangers of failing to address the problems with political finance. Commenting on the existing rules... Posted 25 Feb 2025
Exploring the proportional outcome of Germany’s 2025 Federal election With around 84.5 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in western Europe. A German Federal election, where representatives are elected to the Bundestag (Germany’s national parliament), is therefore always an important event. From... Posted 24 Feb 2025