Euro elections show how Westminster’s first past the post holds back womenElections to the European Parliament take place today across the UK. As we’ve talked about in a previous blog post, the UK’s 73 MEPs will be elected using proportional representation (PR). In Great Britain, the...Posted 23 May 2019
How is the European Parliament Elected?Voters across the EU will be heading to the polls this week to elect the 751 representatives to the European Parliament (known as MEPs). Elections will be held in the UK on the 23rd of...Posted 21 May 2019
Even council leaders are uncomfortable with the ‘one party states’ of First Past the PostMay’s local elections in England showed just how unfit-for-purpose the voting system is, as voters were left with random results and warped council chambers. The elections saw big swings against the two main parties, as...Posted 16 May 2019
‘This is What Democracy Looks Like’: Why campaigners are gathering in Manchester 200 years on from the Peterloo MassacreNearly 200 years ago, thousands of working people gathered on St Peter’s Field in Manchester with a simple demand: political representation. Local magistrates tried to shut down the meeting – the cavalry charged on the...Posted 15 May 2019
A new all-party group has been launched to update Britain’s ‘wild west’ election campaign rulesAs we get closer to the European elections, here’s a worrying fact: our elections are currently wide open to foreign interference and dodgy campaigning. Election rules in the UK haven’t been updated since the year...Posted 15 May 2019
England’s 2019 local elections – The places where around half of voters go unrepresentedOn 2 May, thousands of people were elected to serve as councillors in local authorities across England. While a lot of attention has been given to the overall performances of political parties and independent candidates, little scrutiny...Posted 13 May 2019
The plans to save Westminster are a missed opportunity to re-build our democracyYesterday the government has published its long-awaited Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill setting out its plans to repair the dangerous and crumbling Parliamentary estate. As part of it, they’ve also launched a new consultation...Posted 09 May 2019
Imprints – finally some action to update our analogue laws for the digital ageIn a victory for voters; campaigners; academics; the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee; and the Electoral Commission, among many others, the government has finally committed to extending imprints (disclosures stating who has paid for...Posted 07 May 2019
SNP delegates pack out ERS Scotland fringesOn Sunday at SNP spring conference, delegates showed their interest in a deliberative and local democracy by packing out 2 events hosted by ERS Scotland. The first, a discussion around the merits of citizens’ assemblies,...Posted 01 May 2019
Local elections: How voter ID trial could undermine the right to voteHere’s something you might not know about Thursday’s local elections: hundreds of thousands of potential voters are being told that unless they bring ID with them, they’ll be turned away. If rolled out nationally –...Posted 30 Apr 2019