The Commons versus the Lords: What’s the difference? Our parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, but do we really need two chambers? It can be tempting to see it as pointless duplication, but the colour... Posted 04 Nov 2024
What are the benefits of Citizens’ Assemblies, and should they be used more? At the ERS, we’ve long campaigned for more involvement of citizens in the decisions that affect them. For politics to work for people like us, it needs to include people like us. Too often, public... Posted 03 Oct 2024
Which UK political parties support proportional representation? The results of the 2024 election are just the latest indicator of our broken electoral system, with a troubling mismatch between votes and seats, and a staggering 57.8% voters left unrepresented. If the UK had... Posted 18 Sep 2024
How does proportional representation work? Proportional representation (PR) is not a voting system in itself. Instead, it’s the idea that seats in parliament should reflect the proportion of votes cast; something which can be achieved through a variety of electoral... Posted 05 Sep 2024
Digital imprints: what are they and why are they useful? This general election will be the biggest we’ve seen yet for online campaigning. It’s an area where the ERS, along with many others, have long called for updates in electoral law. While there is still... Posted 06 Jun 2024
What happens when the Lords defeat the Government? The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, allowing deportations to Rwanda for certain migrants who arrive in the UK via illegal routes, completed its passage through Parliament overnight on Monday 22 April, and gained... Posted 08 May 2024
Where is Single Transferable Vote used in the UK? Whilst First Past the Post is used for Westminster elections in the UK, it’s not the only way we elect people to office in the UK. Other voting systems have a long history and are... Posted 29 Mar 2024
Who invented the Single Transferable Vote? The Electoral Reform Society has long held up the Single Transferable Vote as the gold standard for proportional representation. It’s a way of electing our representatives that produces a proportional chamber, and hands power to... Posted 06 Mar 2024
Why an elected second chamber won’t lead to gridlock Looking across the Atlantic at America’s Senate, it’s clear why concerns are often expressed that an elected second chamber may challenge the primacy of the House of Commons and at the extreme end, result in... Posted 19 Feb 2024
How many hung parliaments has the UK had? Westminster’s First Past the Post (FPTP) system often results in some parties gaining far more seats than their vote share deserves. But there is no guarantee that this un-earned ‘bonus’ always means one party gets... Posted 14 Feb 2024