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Is the Scottish Parliament designed to stop a majority?

As we approach the next Scottish parliamentary election, there’s a familiar narrative creeping into the conversation: that the system of proportional representation used in Holyrood is somehow ‘designed to stop a majority.’ It’s a catchy...

Posted 15 Oct 2025

Scotlands AMS system doesnt prevent parties from winning if they genuinely earn it

Lesley Riddoch’s State of Scottish Democracy lecture

Thank you to everyone who made it along to hear author and broadcaster, Lesley Riddoch, present the second of our annual ERS State of Scottish Democracy lecture. We are pleased to publish a video of...

Posted 28 Sep 2023

Scottish Government refuses to recommend consent for 2022 Elections Bill

The 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

The Holyrood Government is right to oppose it and should hold firm

This loophole is letting lobbying go under the radar in Scotland

A major loophole in Scotland’s lobbying register is undermining transparency – with voters left in the dark about lobbying during the pandemic.

Posted 04 Mar 2021

There should be no off-switch for transparency

Scotland’s ground-breaking Citizens’ Assembly has wrapped up. What’s next?

Scotland’s first Citizens’ Assembly, a deliberative body made up of 100 citizens reflecting the country’s demographics, concluded in January and published its visions for the future of Scotland. Citizens’ Assemblies which aim to create ‘mini-publics’...

Posted 09 Feb 2021

People want democracy on the agenda at the May elections

It’s time to put deliberation at the heart of Scottish politics

Last Saturday the final session of the Citizen’s Assembly of Scotland concluded. The assembly, the largest deliberative event in Scotland’s history brought together ordinary people to deliberate over the issues that will shape Scotland. As...

Posted 12 Dec 2020

A House of Citizens could revolutionise Scottish democracy

Citizens’ assemblies can help us move beyond a broken Westminster model of politics

This piece was originally published by The Scotsman. Talk of citizens’ assemblies is in the air. Former Conservative leadership contender, Rory Stewart has suggested holding one to break through the Brexit impasse. And on Monday,...

Posted 20 Jun 2019