The Reformer

Manchesters next mayor will need a broad coalition of support

What is the Supplementary Vote, and why is it being used in Manchester?

On Thursday 30 July, Greater Manchester will be electing a new mayor. The by-election follows Andy Burnham’s decision to return...

Instability runs deeper than who currently occupies Number 10

Keir Starmer’s resignation is the latest product of the chaos of First Past the Post

Today Keir Starmer announced he will be resigning as Prime Minister. It is hard to overstate how remarkable that is....

parliaments that truly represented how the country voted

The difference between proportional and preferential voting systems – and why it matters

When is an electoral reform not proportional? That question matters because support for scrapping First Past the Post is growing,...

Polling Breakdown: What did the UK polls say in May 2026?

At the start of May, many eyes were looking towards the elections taking place across large areas of England, as...

Electoral Commission data reveals why we need a donations cap

Two individuals account for a third of all political donations in latest release

This week the Electoral Commission released data on political donations received in the first quarter of 2026, revealing exactly why we need a full donations...

Proportional representation is about giving voters control over their neighbourhoods

A council with no overall control isn’t the same as one with proportional representation

May’s English local elections ended one-party dominance in over 30 councils, with 64 of the 136 councils now under no...

Support for proportional representation has been steadily growing in Labour

Frontrunners declaring for proportional representation crystallises the growing support in the Labour Party

We have seen a number of events in recent days that have crystallised the long build-up of momentum in the...

UK public opinion is now unprecedentedly fragmented

How would each party have done if May’s elections were across all of Britain?

The elections held across the UK on 7 May 2026 produced a series of dramatic outcomes, and the political ramifications...

Political Party snakes and ladders

What can we learn from 2026’s English local elections

This week we’ve been delving into the English local election results to understand what’s happening behind the headlines, and the...

The results are still more proportional than every equivalent General Election

What we learnt from Scotland’s 2026 elections

Coverage of elections down in England can often give the impression that results which are wildly different from the way...

This was an election that delivered seismic change

How Wales voted in the 2026 Senedd election

On Thursday 7th May, Wales headed to the polls for the Senedd election. This was an election that delivered seismic...

Voters in English local elections deserve better than First Past the Post

The votes from last week’s local council elections across England have now been counted, and one thing is clear: First...