A shifting Stormont: The view from the Belfast election countLast 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
Northern Ireland’s voting system allows for a more diverse, open politicsLast year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election saw some fascinating developments. From a 50% increase in women’s representation, to the growth of cross-community parties and some surprise upsets, it was testament to an evolving democracy, under...Posted 17 Feb 2017
Senedd reform and local PR: an exciting week for Welsh democracyAs the political world shifts from its axis in a tumultuous first month of 2017, you’d be forgiven for missing on some other developments in the electoral reform agenda in Wales. Whisper it, but all...Posted 02 Feb 2017
Building a stronger National Assembly, or why ‘We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat…’Given the tidal waves that have rocked our politics this year, it may seem an unusual time to be discussing the need for more Assembly Members. In a year of populist shocks and rhetoric, the...Posted 01 Dec 2016
After Brexit, it’s time for a bigger, stronger Senedd‘May you live in interesting times’ goes the old Chinese curse. And few could deny that we do: Brexit, a party system in flux, and a constitution in tumult all mark new times for the...Posted 29 Nov 2016
The Return of the GerrymanderWith all the media attention focusing on the upcoming American Presidential Election, it’s easy to forget that it isn’t the only election happening on that day. Voters up and down the country will be voting...Posted 30 Oct 2016
How to give the London Assembly the clout it needsThis week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’ve been running a series of articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. Today, Martin Hoscik, Editor of MayorWatch, gives his view on...Posted 14 Oct 2016
Time to beef up the London Assembly?It’s fair to say that the London Assembly doesn’t get a great deal of attention – despite having a strong claim to being the hub of devolved politics in England. So for European Local Democracy Week we thought...Posted 14 Oct 2016
It’s time to rebalance the powers of the London Mayor and AssemblyThis week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’re running a series of articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. For the first two articles in the ‘Building a...Posted 13 Oct 2016
PR across the pond: the push for fair votes in the USThis week is European Local Democracy Week 2016, and to mark it, we’re running a series of discussion articles on how to make the London Assembly more democratic. Yesterday we published our first piece in the series,...Posted 11 Oct 2016