News and Comment

The latest news and commentary from the Electoral Reform Society.

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We’ll need more AMs to deal with Brexit

If there was a ‘word cloud’ of popular news topics over the last twelve months then ‘Brexit’ would be front, centre and in bold. Since last June’s referendum the topic has dominated headlines, been the...

Posted 27 Mar 2017

The Brexit deficit

If there was a ‘word cloud’ of popular news topics over the last twelve months then ‘Brexit’ would be front, centre and in bold. Since last June’s referendum the topic has dominated headlines, been the...

Posted 27 Mar 2017

Senedd Cymru Welsh Parliament

We did it: petition for PR hits 100,000 signatures

We did it. The petition to introduce real Proportional Representation for Westminster has hit its target of 100,000 – with over two weeks to go. Thousands of you shared our blogs, tweets, emails and posts...

Posted 21 Mar 2017

You Did It! Parliament to Debate Fair Votes

Cyfnod Newydd i ERS Cymru

Wrth iddi ymuno â ERS Cymru, mae Jess Blair yn nodi’r heriau a’r cyfleoedd i ddyfnhau democratiaeth Cymru Yn ystod y deuddeg mis diwethaf, mae’r tirlun wleidyddol wedi newid yn sylfaenol dros y byd. Rydym...

Posted 17 Mar 2017

Local spending matters when votes aren’t equal

Today we have seen the consequences of a violation of the rules on campaign spending, one facet of the way political parties are funded. Yet the Electoral Commission’s fine of the Conservative party for breaching reporting rules...

Posted 16 Mar 2017

A shifting Stormont: The view from the Belfast election count

Last week’s surprise election in Northern Ireland, called in the aftermath of the Renewable Heating Scheme (RHI) scandal, yielded a result that few predicted. I spent the Friday of the election at Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition Centre, where...

Posted 10 Mar 2017

The momentum for Lords reform is growing

Reform often comes through an unusual mix of factors. They stir up within a short space of time – until the whole strange potion explodes. It feels like we might be witnessing that process right...

Posted 10 Mar 2017

House of Lords