The Reformer

England let down by elections as Scotland leads the way

Since Thursday’s local elections we’ve been crunching the numbers. Did voters get a fair deal? What has breaking from First Past...

Examining the case for directly elected mayors

Does Bristol, Birmingham or Bradford want a Boris? We find out next Thursday when these and seven other English cities...

140,000 reasons for reform:

Next week voters across 21 of Wales’ 22 unitary authorities will head to the polls to decide the political make-up...

Bargaining on equality: a challenge to the trade unions?

“If we want to see women in positions of power in society – how do we achieve it?” This was...

Behind the excuses and the finger pointing – the bitter pill of party funding

So here we are again. Once more the headlines boom with a brand new ‘cash-for influence’ scandal. Peter Cruddas, millionaire...

Reporting back from Welsh Labour Conference

By Owain Llyr ap Gareth, Research and Campaigns Officer, Electoral Reform Society Wales After entering the empty room an hour before...

House of Lords

House of Lords reform: Independence, expertise and a strange case of false logic

The argument that independence and expertise exist in abundance amongst our current peers is now being cited as a key...

No more excuses: Why gender matters in politics

What would society be like if four out of five parliamentarians were women? Maybe we’d be failing on men’s health;...

“Aren’t you a bit small to be our Police and Crime Commissioner?”

Jane Basham was the Labour PCC candidate for Suffolk “Nearly toppled the establishment…” …..Is what colleagues have said after my...

Interests aside – what’s right for Wales?

The Electoral Reform Society Wales launched our new report today analysing the results of the Welsh Assembly Elections in May...

Is Scottish Democracy failing to realise dream of devolution?

The Electoral Reform Society Scotland recently held an event to launch our report examining the “remarkable” results of the May 2011 Scottish...

Big Ben

Women in Parliament: Time for an equal say

The level of women’s representation in politics is an important signifier of a healthy democracy. Yet in the UK only...