The Reformer

A ‘defeat’ in the House of Lords is very different to a defeat in the Commons

What is the role of the House of Lords and could it do more?

While the House of Lords is often in the press, it’s often due to the things its members should not...

The benefits of proportional representation for a reformed House of Lords are clear

Which is the best electoral system for the House of Lords?

Whenever the issue of creating an elected Second Chamber comes up, a common question is how it should be elected....

At over 800 peers in total, it dwarfs all other second chambers around the world

How many peers are there in the House of Lords – and how many does it need?

One of the unique features of our currently second chamber, apart from it being unelected and still partially based on...

When voters have an electoral system that works for them, Independent councillors get elected

Why independent candidates win with the Single Transferable Vote

Currently, there are 14 independent MPs in the House of Commons, which might seem to suggest Independent candidates can win...

In 2023 the global proportion of women parliamentarians just was 26 point 5 percent

Proportional representation helped women get elected in 2022

In January 2023, the global proportion of women parliamentarians just was 26.5%, indicating that there’s a way to go before...

The question of who gets to vote is more complicated than you might think

Exploring the franchise: Who can vote in UK elections?

The franchise has been in the news recently due to Labour considering plans to extend the franchise to resident EU...

Let 3

Time for a key change? How we would reform Eurovision voting

Eurovision is upon us once again – everyone’s favourite flamboyant celebration of Europe’s musical talent. With quite a few ERS...

Thousands of voters are left underrepresented or not represented at all

How can one party win all the seats in a local council election without all the votes?

In May’s 2023 local elections in England, the Liberal Democrats won 72% of the seats on Bath & North East...

Holland Netherlands

Why did the Netherlands adopt nationwide proportional representation?

The Dutch prioritised proportionality above all else when creating their system of proportional representation; choosing a single nationwide constituency and...

What was AV+ the electoral system recommended by the Jenkins Report?

In their 1997 election manifesto, Labour set out a commitment to hold a referendum on the current First Past the...

Every major party uses something like the Alternative Vote to elect their leader

Why do so many parties use transferable voting for their leadership elections?

The 27th of March sees the announcement of the results of the SNP leadership election. As we wrote a few...

Central party leaders have little influence over who is elected

How do Finland’s elections work?

On Sunday 2nd April, voters in Finland will go to the polls to elect a new parliament. Finland’s parliament, known...