The Reformer

In Wales and Scotland there has been far greater transparency

Finally, some clarity on England’s local elections

UK ministers have finally confirmed that local elections in England will go ahead on the 6th of May, after being...

Politics too often feels like a London dominated private members club with citizens locked out

Activists are calling on Keir Starmer to back ambitious political reform, following a key Labour report

Leading Labour figures and democracy campaigners have urged the Labour party to get behind major political reform, following the launch...

Newspapers

ERS in the Press – January 2021

As a new year begins, but the effects of the national lockdown continue, democratic issues continue to make the headlines...

House of Lords

Why we need more than piecemeal reform of the House of Lords

The House of Lords is back in the spotlight, with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown saying that replacing the House...

Elections are fundamental to democracy and must be properly managed

What is going on with England’s May elections?

This past week we’ve seen a dizzying array of conflicting reports for the government’s plans for May’s polls, with Conservative...

Trump shows how First Past the Post gives the keys to extremists

As the moving vans deliver the next residents of the White House into their new home, it is worth looking...

This year could see some major developments when it comes to voters rights

7 democratic developments to watch out for this year

What does democracy look like in a pandemic? It’s a question that came up a lot last year – and...

Scotland’s local democracy is not an optional extra

The experience of the covid-19 crisis has served to underline and strengthen the case ERS Scotland has long been making...

Five times the ERS set the news agenda in 2020

Despite the difficulties of 2020, the ERS kept up the pressure and make the case for political reform in a...

There’s much the UK could adopt from the recent Irish proposals

An independent Electoral Commission for Ireland – A step forward for democracy

While in the UK the government has recently threatened our independent elections watchdog with abolition if it cannot be ‘radically...

This is the first time that the Commissions advice has been ignored

What is the House of Lords Appointments Commission?

A little-known non-departmental public body, the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC), has recently been thrust into the spotlight, following...

Urgent and decisive action is needed immediately

Democracy delayed? Voters and officials need clarity now on England’s May elections

Toby James, University of East Anglia and Alistair Clark, Newcastle University Which activities are essential during a pandemic? Across England,...