Hereditary peers have left the Lords for the last timeSometimes change arrives with fanfare. Sometimes it arrives quietly, after years of argument, delay and unfinished business. This week, the final hereditary peers lost their automatic right to sit and vote in the House of...Posted 30 Apr 2026
Why we need to change the way we elect our councillors in England and WalesDiscussions around changing the voting system often refer to Westminster, yet the same problems that stifle the government of the UK apply at a much more local level. Just like in Parliament, councils across England...Posted 28 Apr 2026
England’s previous local elections show what’s wrong with our voting systemTime and time again, England’s local elections repeatedly produce results that simply don’t reflect how people vote. If you live in England, you might be casting a vote for your councillors in a local election...Posted 27 Apr 2026
How Scotland’s Holyrood elections work will work this MayThe 2024 General Election in Scotland was a one-sided affair. Scottish Labour won 35.3% of the vote in Scotland and 64.9% of the available seats. While the SNP came a narrow second place on 30%...Posted 23 Apr 2026
We should fix our voting system, not force people to use itThis week, the Telegraph has published an article debating the merits of compulsory voting. Partly inspired by the approaching first anniversary of the launch of the Campaign for Compulsory Voting, the Telegraph’s research shows that...Posted 23 Apr 2026
Former Prime Minister John Major questions the ‘validity’ of First Past the PostThere has been a significant intervention in the debate around electoral reform recently, in the guise of former Prime Minister John Major. The Conservative politician has questioned the “validity” of the First Past the Post...Posted 01 Apr 2026
Government to cap overseas donations and stop crypto donationsToday we welcomed the review by Philip Rycroft into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review rightly identifies a loss of trust in our democratic system and processes, and the importance...Posted 25 Mar 2026
Scotland’s Parliament still has too much First Past the PostWhen the Scottish Parliament was created, it was built to be different to Westminster. A system designed to reflect how all Scots voted, not just who comes first in each area. Scotland uses what is...Posted 25 Mar 2026
We were asked to address MPs on the Representation of the People Bill committeeThis week MPs sitting on the Representation of the People Bill committee took evidence before the bill starts committee stage – the line-by-line examination of the legislation. Expert witnesses are called to give evidence at...Posted 19 Mar 2026
Early voting trials offer a promising addition to our democracyWritten by Thomas Worth While the focus has been on the 30 councils who saw their elections delayed and then undelayed at short notice, it might be easy to miss some of the positive changes...Posted 12 Mar 2026