We need to talk about Westminster Debates about the future of the union and devolution to the UK’s nations and regions continue to dominate the constitutional sphere, as we have set out before, with the results of the May 2021 elections... Posted 04 Jun 2021
A Scottish House of Citizens would be the opposite of Westminster’s institutionally corrupt Lords ERS Scotland and the Sortition Foundation have ramped up calls for ‘House of Citizens’ – a revising chamber made up of ordinary voters – in Scotland, following revelations that a Conservative party donor gave the... Posted 03 Jun 2021
Joint Committee on Human Rights investigates voter ID plans The ERS’ Dr Jess Garland gave evidence to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday 26 May, on the government’s mandatory voter ID plans announced in the Queen’s Speech. Watch it in full here.... Posted 01 Jun 2021
Train drivers’ union becomes latest to join the movement for proportional representation ASLEF joins the growing number of unions calling for a more equal voting system for Westminster. Posted 28 May 2021
Lords call for decisive action to slim down the ever-expanding second chamber Buried amidst last week’s fall-out from the Queen’s Speech and the elections was the fourth report of the Lord Speaker’s Committee on the Size of the House. The committee, established in 2016 by Lord Fowler,... Posted 21 May 2021
The government’s own research shows millions of people may lack appropriate voter ID This week’s Queen’s Speech confirmed that the government would be pushing ahead with the Electoral Integrity Bill. As we’ve outlined before, the bill would require voters to present photo identification at the polling station in... Posted 14 May 2021
Voter ID: 18 leading civil society groups unite to call for dangerous plans to be dropped Leading UK civil society groups have united to challenge plans to block those without ID from voting, in a landmark joint statement co-ordinated by the ERS. Posted 14 May 2021
Queen’s Speech: Senior Conservative brands mandatory voter ID ‘illiberal solution for non-existent problem’ The government is planning to introduce legislation that will make it harder for millions of ordinary people to vote. Posted 10 May 2021
First time votes for 16 and 17 year olds in Wales – what Westminster can learn This week we saw history happen in Wales. After years of ERS Cyrmu campaigning for the rights of 16 and 17 year olds to vote in Wales, the first election with an expanded franchise took... Posted 07 May 2021
These government plans will hit 44m voters with less choice and a weaker voice Millions of people went to the polls this Thursday in England and Wales to elect PCCs, plus Combined Authority mayors and the London mayor– using the Supplementary Vote system (SV). Posted 07 May 2021