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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...

The global ultra-rich can effectively buy political parties outright

Money in Politics

What political finance changes are coming in?

Back in 2015 we published Deal or No Deal which looked at public attitudes to political finance following the failed...

I am a strong supporter of electoral reform

Electoral Reform in Westminster

In Andy Burnham we have the first prime minister who openly backs proportional representation

Andy Burnham’s rise to Downing Street means that for the first time in modern history we have a prime minister...

It is clear there is still a lot more to do

Electoral Reform in Westminster

What legacy does Keir Starmer leave on democratic and electoral reform?

This week we are witnessing an increasingly familiar sight – a change of prime minister. Keir Starmer has left office...

Automatic Voter Registration will create a level playing

ERS Cymru

Wales becomes the first UK nation to introduce Automatic Voter Registration

Last week, the Welsh Government laid new regulations to introduce Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) across all 22 Welsh local authorities...

There is nothing more unstoppable than an idea whose time has come and PRs time has come

Electoral Reform in Westminster

What has Andy Burnham said about the voting system?

Westminster has, once again, been engulfed in high theatre. The Prime Minister stood aside on Monday announcing a two-week departure...

Manchesters next mayor will need a broad coalition of support

Mayors

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

Electoral Reform in Westminster

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

Electoral Reform in Westminster

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,...

Electoral Commission data reveals why we need a donations cap

Money in Politics

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

English Local Democracy

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

Electoral Reform in Westminster

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...