Even senior MPs agree the government needs to pause and rethink the 2022 Elections BillEarlier this week, the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs (PACAC) select committee published the final report of its inquiry into the Elections Bill. In a highly critical report, the influential committee heeded...Posted 17 Dec 2021
Dominic Grieve is just the latest conservative to call for a halt to the 2022 Elections BillWhile the Elections Bill is not expected to return to parliament until the new year, opposition is still growing against this dangerous legislation. The most recent conservative to speak out is former Attorney General, Dominic...Posted 07 Dec 2021
Scottish Government refuses to recommend consent for 2022 Elections BillThe Scottish government is standing up to Westminster on legislation that would see voter ID imposed on UK elections held in Scotland. Deputy First Minister John Swinney lodged a ‘legislation consent memorandum’ in the Scottish...Posted 01 Oct 2021
How can we better regulate our elections? Earlier this month, buried amidst the many reactions to the government’s Elections Bill, the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) published its report on regulating election finance, following a year-long inquiry to which we...Posted 20 Jul 2021
These government plans represent a takeover of our independent election watchdogMinisters have announced plans that gut the UK’s independent Electoral Commission, representing a power grab over election scrutiny. Posted 18 Jun 2021
An independent Electoral Commission for Ireland – A step forward for democracyWhile in the UK the government has recently threatened our independent elections watchdog with abolition if it cannot be ‘radically overhauled’, across the sea, the Irish government has recently set out plans for establishing an...Posted 12 Jan 2021
MPs in joint call to ‘protect and strengthen’ the Electoral Commission, 20 years after its foundationThis week marks 20 years since the Electoral Commission was founded. It’s a time for celebration of its successes but also a time to look to its future. That’s why former Digital, Culture, Media and...Posted 04 Dec 2020
Happy birthday to the Electoral Commission – now let’s give it the powers it needsThis Monday marks 20 years since the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 received Royal Assent. It was an act which set up the Electoral Commission, the UK’s independent elections watchdog – and tackled...Posted 30 Nov 2020
20 years since the Electoral Commission was founded, our watchdog needs more cloutMonday 30th November marks the 20th Anniversary of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. In 2000, just 30% of people had internet access at home. Facebook was years from conception. Today, campaigners spend millions each election...Posted 25 Nov 2020
Our elections watchdog needs strengthening, not scrappingYou’d think given the rising tide of disinformation, dodgy donations and dark ads online, the government might be getting serious about empowering our elections watchdog. Instead, the Conservative Party has actually issued a call to...Posted 03 Sep 2020