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Manifestos outside the big two parties: Putting democracy on the agenda

Last week we looked at the sections of the Labour and Conservative manifestos that touched on democracy-related issues. This week, we turn our attention to the other parties that are standing candidates in virtually all...

Posted 19 Jun 2024

What does a super-majority mean and is it something we should worry about?

In the last week, the current defence secretary, Grant Shapps, has been appearing in the news to warn about the supposed dangers of a Labour ‘super-majority’. He told Times Radio “You don’t want to have...

Posted 18 Jun 2024

Parliament can make or remove any law with a simple majority vote

Labour manifesto: Encouraging first steps – but we need to address rock bottom trust in politics

This week we had startling and deeply concerning news about the state of our democracy. A study from the National Centre for Social Research concluded that: ‘All in all, it appears that people’s trust in...

Posted 13 Jun 2024

Conservative manifesto: Missing pledges to improve our democracy

The launch of the Conservative manifesto yesterday was conspicuously light on democratic policy with little mention by way of reforms desperately needed to strengthen our democracy. Voter ID Policy The Conservatives made only one proposal...

Posted 13 Jun 2024

Over 100 seats haven’t changed hands for 100 years or more

We often hear that politics is unpredictable, that anything can happen in the upcoming election – but the reality is that hundreds of seats across the country haven’t changed hands in decades. While the MP...

Posted 03 Jun 2024

Were you alive the last time your seat changed hands

Imposing First Past the Post on these roles was a mistake

The recent mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections took place under a First Past the Post (FPTP) system, where people are able to put just one ‘X’ on their ballot – choosing only one...

Posted 15 May 2024

Did eight Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners win due to voting change

Where is Single Transferable Vote used in the UK?

Whilst First Past the Post is used for Westminster elections in the UK, it’s not the only way we elect people to office in the UK. Other voting systems have a long history and are...

Posted 29 Mar 2024

MPs and Peers recognise the benefits of STV when they are the voters

Changes to First Past the Post style Electoral College increase chances of Trump victory

Barring an act of God, 5 November 2024 will see a rematch of the 2020 US Presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Looking back at the nationwide result in 2020, you would be...

Posted 26 Mar 2024

Biden won by 7000000 but Trump just needs to gain 44000 in the right places

European local government: New ideas of decentralisation in a changing world

I was delighted to be asked to moderate the main Plenary Session of the 9th Annual Congress on European Local Government in Poland last week to discuss ‘New Ideas of Decentralisation in a Changing World’....

Posted 12 Mar 2024

Who invented the Single Transferable Vote?

The Electoral Reform Society has long held up the Single Transferable Vote as the gold standard for proportional representation. It’s a way of electing our representatives that produces a proportional chamber, and hands power to...

Posted 06 Mar 2024