ERS in the Press – October 2020This month has seen a renewed interest in proportional representation internationally. Willie Sullivan backed up the case for a fairer voting system in Canada, drawing on his experience in Scotland. “If you want a system...Posted 29 Oct 2020
Manifesto for Democracy: Modernising Local GovernmentLocal government in Wales is all too often ‘pale, male and stale’ – uncontested seats are widespread and incumbent councillors are often favoured by the current First Past The Post system. We need electoral reform...Posted 26 Oct 2020
Manifesto for democracy: A Stronger SeneddThe Senedd looks very different to when it was first conceived in 1999. Ongoing devolution has meant more powers are held in Cardiff Bay – including primary law-making powers and tax-varying powers that create a...Posted 23 Oct 2020
Westminster could learn a lot from the Australian Capital Territory Could Australia’s capital show the rest of Australia and Westminster how to be fairer and more representative?Posted 21 Oct 2020
ERS in the Press – August 2020As governments respond to the global pandemic, the issue of how voters are represented has not gone away. In fact, in many ways, it has become more salient. PR in the public eye In August,...Posted 04 Sep 2020
More democracy, less division: Labour have a new chance to back political equalityOn Tuesday, Labour’s NEC has a chance to ensure everyone's voice is heard - by backing a fair voting system for National Executive Committee elections.Posted 14 May 2020
New research: Comparing rates of electoral assent in the recent Irish and UK general electionsLuke Field is an Irish political scientist specialising in campaigns, elections, and democracy. He recently completed a Ph.D. in Political Science at University College Dublin and lectures in Politics at University College Cork. He tweets...Posted 26 Mar 2020
Ignored and unrepresented: Report reveals how Westminster’s electoral system continues to fail votersSomething is deeply wrong when over 70% of votes count for nothing. That’s what Westminster’s voting system did in December’s election, according to a damning new analysis from the ERS. Of 32 million votes cast,...Posted 02 Mar 2020
In Ireland, it actually feels like my vote makes a differenceAs part of a series on the experiences of voters in the Irish 2020 election, we wanted to speak with people who have voted with Ireland’s STV system and under Westminster’s First Past the Post...Posted 18 Feb 2020
STV allowed me to consider the candidates in greater detailAs part of a series on the experiences of voters in the Irish 2020 election, we wanted to speak with voters who have voted with Ireland’s STV system and under Westminster’s First Past the Post...Posted 16 Feb 2020