The public can unite on the big issues around Brexit: the Citizens’ Assembly showed howJust a few days ago, a representative body of UK citizens came together to do something new: work across divides together to find a way forward on Brexit. Members of the Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit...Posted 03 Oct 2017
There’s a ‘something for nothing’ culture in the Lords. It’s time for Lords reformEmma Levin reflects on our recent House of Lords research While their role is supposedly to scrutinise government, it is the House of Lords that should be coming under increased scrutiny, following revelations today. Just...Posted 21 Sep 2017
Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit: reflections on the first weekendThe Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit has just begun its work. The project’s director, Alan Renwick, here offers some initial, personal reflections on a highly successful first weekend. The Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit has just completed its first weekend...Posted 16 Sep 2017
You did it: Parliament is going to debate adopting fair votesEarlier this year, the scale of public anger at our broken voting system was revealed. Despite no General Election being on the horizon at the time – and starting from scratch – voters shattered expectations:...Posted 14 Sep 2017
2017 General Election ResultsWhile Labour achieved a nearly proportional result, getting just over 40 percent of the seats on 40 percent of the vote, the Conservatives took a skewed seat-share, with just under 49 percent of the seats...Posted 29 Aug 2017
It’s time for Westminster to join Scotland in shunning First Past the PostFirst Past the Post elections are like trying to peel potatoes with a chainsaw. For much of the UK, people have come to think this clunking old method of giving people a say is the same as...Posted 24 Aug 2017
Wales tears down barriers to democracy as England fortifies themLast week Wales has shown just what devolution can do: allow new ways of doing democracy. On Tuesday the Welsh government launched a consultation that has the potential to be a game-changer when it comes...Posted 27 Jul 2017
The results come in for the UK’s most bizarre and elitist electionBaron Vaux of Harrowden (or Richard Hubert Gordon Gilbey) has won a seat for life on the basis of 16 (out of 27 cast) aristocrats’ votes. How did we get here? In 1999, the House...Posted 20 Jul 2017
Citizenship education paves the way for votes at 16With Wales looking to equalise their voting age with Scotland for local elections at 16, we asked our work experience student Carla to explain what impact the citizenship education classes she’d recent completed would have...Posted 19 Jul 2017
It’s time to get the public involved in BrexitThe way people talk about ‘Leavers’ and ‘Remainers’ is enough to make you think they have always been at loggerheads – two irreconcilable opponents, fated to oppose each other forever and ever. But it’s not...Posted 12 Jul 2017