Red cards and re-negotiationsToday, Prime Minister David Cameron has written to President of the European Council Donald Tusk setting out his demands for a renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the European Union. One of the four planks of the PM’s...Posted 10 Nov 2015
Good news for Welsh electionsThe UK Government today released their draft Wales Bill, continuing the process of the Silk Commission through to the St David’s Day declaration. It is clear that these proposals – in particular how powers are...Posted 20 Oct 2015
What is the plural of referendum? Political disengagement…Switzerland. A land of chocolate, neutrality and a surprisingly well-armed population. Switzerland is also home to a unique democratic system, the closest to direct democracy in the world. Citizens have the ability to force two types...Posted 15 Oct 2015
Localism and devolution – ERS at Labour conference“Devolution is a hot topic,” said Jane Dudman, Guardian Public Leaders editor, who chaired the first of three ERS fringe events at Labour Party Conference 2015. The topic was: “can Labour reclaim devolution and localism?”...Posted 13 Oct 2015
Party over Principle: Independence in the LordsThe House of Lords is often assumed to be more independent than the Commons because it is less strongly whipped and because it contains Crossbench members who do not have a party affiliation. But it’s...Posted 09 Oct 2015
Taking advantage of the Greek electoral lawGreece will return to the polls on September 20th. This is the third nationwide poll this year, after an earlier election in January and a referendum in June. It is also the fourth general election...Posted 21 Aug 2015
Proportional Representation can build a stronger constituency linkIt is often said that the constituency link is a vital part of British political life; MPs represent local areas and are directly accountable to those areas for their continued careers. If MPs misbehave their...Posted 27 Jul 2015
Devolution needs democracy – politicians should back fair votes for local governmentTomorrow the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill has its Third Reading in the House of Lords – the final stage before it goes back to the Commons. It’s a Bill that will have a...Posted 20 Jul 2015
Don’t let fewer Welsh County Councils mean less democracy for WalesToday, Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews announces the new proposed map for Local Authorities in Wales, with plans to reduce the number of County Councils from 22 to 8 or 9. This follows the recent...Posted 17 Jun 2015
What is the Scotland Bill?The Scotland Bill was no surprise when it was announced in the Queens Speech. In the lead up to the Scottish independence referendum vote last September and following a particular cliff-edge poll, unionist parties became very...Posted 12 Jun 2015