The Reformer

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Scotland’s local democracy needs power and resources

ERS Scotland

The Scottish Government’s reforms offers a promising path to stronger local democracy

In recent weeks, The Scottish Government has opened a major debate about the future structure of local government. As part...

An independent process with expert advice and voters’ views

Citizens' Assemblies

What is a National Commission on Electoral Reform?

The Prime Minister made history last week announcing that he intends to fight the next election with a manifesto commitment...

The polling picture looks very different compared with the beginning of 2026

Electoral Reform in Westminster

Looking back on the last 20 months of UK political polls

This month’s polling breakdown is being written shortly after Andy Burnham’s big speech to Labour’s annual conference. One of the...

We will contest the next election with a manifesto commitment to change the electoral system

Electoral Reform in Westminster

Prime Minister announces manifesto pledge and historic National Commission at Labour Conference

Today, in his first conference speech as Prime Minister, I saw Andy Burnham commit his party to changing the way...

Elections aren't a horse race, where all that matters is who crosses the line first

Electoral Reform in Westminster

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, First Past the Post would have turned a slight lead into a huge majority for the AFD

Germany is made up of 16 federal states, each with a slightly different version of proportional representation – making it...

First Past the Post means a party doesn’t need to win a majority of votes to rule alone

Electoral Reform in Westminster

First Past the Post would have given the AfD nearly every seat in Saxony-Anhalt

There has been much coverage in recent days of the outcome of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, which lies in...

Is talk of an early general election justified by any changes seen in the polls

Electoral Reform in Westminster

August 2026 in the polls: The latest UK monthly political polling averages

August is a month of long summer holidays for both schoolchildren and parliamentarians. However, it did not feel like politics...

Most Kiwis consider the voting system a settled matter

Electoral Reform in Westminster

Questioning New Zealand’s proportional system led to questions about the prime minister’s position

New Zealand heads to the polls on November 7 and as a country with similar political traditions to the UK, it is...

To create a change that lasts, the process needs to be trusted

Electoral Reform in Westminster

What does an independent commission on electoral reform need to succeed?

The idea of an independent commission on electoral reform has been gaining traction lately, with nearly 200 MPs calling for...

There is only a 13 point 9 point gap between the 1st and 5th placed parties

Electoral Reform in Westminster

What do the UK political polling averages for July 2026 point to?

July saw the transition from one UK Prime Minister to another for the fifth time since 2019. Andy Burnham stepped...

House of Lords

Anas Sarwar’s appointment exposes the problem at the heart of the House of Lords

Andy Burnham began his Premiership with promises of change and a break with the past way of doing politics. Which...

healthy democracies depend on strong communities

ERS Scotland

Denmark’s three-day democracy festival that attracts over 65,000 visitors

I had the opportunity to visit Denmark’s democracy festival, Folkemødet, (translated as the People’s Meeting), this June. Representatives from Perth and...