Lords are lobbying – our second chamber is leaving us open to foreign interferenceA story last week showed the House of Lords for what it really is: a lobbyist’s paradise. As revealed by The Times, a series of peers have financial interest in Russia. Some of these have...Posted 29 Oct 2018
Ireland and blasphemy: Another landmark day for deliberative democracyIt sometimes seems that Ireland is having referendums every week – and today voters there are once again heading to the polls, almost exactly five months since their historic vote to repeal the country’s constitutional...Posted 26 Oct 2018
4 things wrong with the latest ‘reform’ claims from the House of Lords…If a new proclamation is to be believed, the UK’s unelected second chamber is apparently ‘on course’ to reduce in size, ‘within the timeframe set out’ in a report by a House of Lords committee...Posted 25 Oct 2018
Why we can’t leave our democracy at the whim of tech giants like FacebookAnother vote is never far away. But even outside of election time, campaigning rumbles on. Each day, a lot of cash is spent influencing political debate. These days though, that’s not just people delivering leaflets...Posted 25 Oct 2018
We can’t leave political transparency to the whim of big tech firms: it’s time for a campaign overhaulWhen an election is just around the corner, there are several tell-tale signs: politicians incessantly visiting factories, thousands of signs strapped to lampposts, and tensions mounting at the dinner table. And there are the flyers....Posted 23 Oct 2018
Votes for 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland, Wales… and overseas?What connects people with Irish, Kiribatian or New Zealand passports? They can all vote in UK general elections if they have (or don’t need) leave to remain in the UK. Who votes in UK elections...Posted 17 Oct 2018
50 years since fair votes’ defence in IrelandThis week marks the 50th anniversary of a major event in the Society’s history and the history of the campaign for fair votes. On 16 October 1968, Ireland held a referendum that would determine the...Posted 15 Oct 2018
DUP deals and the warped world of First Past the Post coalitionsWith news that the Democratic Unionist Party’s 10 MPs are considering voting down the budget over Brexit divisions, the usual arguments are being rolled out about the ‘tail wagging the dog’ during coalitions. For two...Posted 12 Oct 2018
Assembly vote to extend the franchise is a major step forward for WalesFor those of us who are politically-minded, voting for the first time is a landmark occasion. There is satisfaction in putting a cross next to your preferred candidate and placing the completed ballot paper into...Posted 10 Oct 2018
Wales is leading the way in building a better democracy, Westminster should take noteThere’s been plenty of talk at Conservative conference of how to win back young voters. But so far there has been little policy detail. What’s happening in Wales might provide some inspiration. This Tuesday, the...Posted 02 Oct 2018