The Reformer

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Scottish Local Citizens' Assemblies

Only real local democracy can rebuild our communities

April 9, 2021

The last twelve months have changed the way many of us think about our everyday lives. The lockdowns necessitated by...

Fair Play Pledge
Campaign Regulation

It’s time for candidates to ‘play fair’ and back overhaul of UK’s outdated election rules

The Fair Play Pledge, a major initiative involving several democratic organisations, was formally launched this Wednesday to highlight the need...

Proportional representation is vital to provide the effective scrutiny that councils need
Local democracy

England is blighted by local one party states

England is blighted by local one-party states: areas where it too often feels like only one party can win, where...

Join us, and Jackie Weaver, to tell the candidates in May to sign the Fair Play Pledge
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Join Jackie Weaver and democracy groups as we launch the Fair Play Pledge

This May sees a huge round of elections in Britain – from Holyrood to Cardiff Bay, the London Assembly and...

Scottish Local Citizens' Assemblies

Local communities must be the foundation on which we build Scotland’s recovery

March 26, 2021

The pandemic has given us a fresh insight into what we already knew about Scotland’s communities; people will sacrifice their...

Hereditary peers account for more than one tenth of an already bloated House of Lords
House of Lords

Hereditary Peers highlight the absurdity of our system and the case for reform

Momentum is building for wholesale reform of the House of Lords, as hereditary peerages are under public scrutiny after a...

Imposing a broken system, without public support, can only serve to undermine these positions
Electoral Reform in Westminster

We can’t let the government force a broken system on important elections

This week, Home Secretary Priti Patel laid out new plans as part of a review into the role of Police...

Ministers need to tackle the main impediment to voting
Electoral Reform in Westminster

There are big reasons some people won’t vote this May – and it’s not just Covid

When one party takes all – on a fraction of the vote – people understandably feel alienated and voiceless, and...

With all the challenges facing the country right now why is this on the priority list
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Making it easier for unpopular candidates to become Mayors turns back the clock

These are deeply concerning plans to change our elections.

The New Foundations
Devolution

Labour and progressive thinkers to present Keir Starmer with vision for ‘real democracy’

Keir Starmer will be presented with a vision for a pro-democracy overhaul of Westminster and the economy on Sunday (21st March),...

Another example of the government missing the mark when it comes electoral integrity
Voter ID

Why voter ID is the opposite of what we need to improve our elections

That there is growing opposition to government plans to introduce mandatory voter ID should come as no surprise. Requirements to...

Devolution

What can we learn from the evolution of English devolution?

March 9, 2021

There has been considerable discussion about the ‘Union’ and efforts to save it in recent months, given the increasing support...