Building a better democracy – 2020 and the Electoral Reform Society It’s hard to think of a more troubling year in living memory. But the public health crisis has, perhaps counter-intuitively, put issues of democracy at the forefront. The election may feel like a distant memory,... Posted 07 Dec 2020
Right to scrap First Past the Post won for Welsh councils UPDATE: On Wednesday 21st January, the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill became law after receiving Royal Assent. Now the campaign begins to ensure councils in Wales sign up to a fairer voting system, and... Posted 18 Nov 2020
Welsh Parliament to vote on letting councils scrap first past the post Local government is one of our most important layers of representation, delivering everyday frontline services such as social care and waste collection. Yet, for many people local government doesn’t feel that representative and that’s because... Posted 17 Nov 2020
Manifesto for Democracy: Deepening Democracy Democracy is about empowering citizens to be involved in their political system and as such embedding the voices of everyday citizens into those systems is vital to democracy that works. Without it we risk not... Posted 30 Oct 2020
Manifesto for Democracy: Education for the future Education is key to ensuring that newly enfranchised voters understand the system they can now have a voice in. That 16 and 17 year olds in Wales can now vote in Senedd elections offers us... Posted 29 Oct 2020
Manifesto for Democracy: Modernising Local Government Local government in Wales is all too often ‘pale, male and stale’ – uncontested seats are widespread and incumbent councillors are often favoured by the current First Past The Post system. We need electoral reform... Posted 26 Oct 2020
Manifesto for democracy: A Stronger Senedd The Senedd looks very different to when it was first conceived in 1999. Ongoing devolution has meant more powers are held in Cardiff Bay – including primary law-making powers and tax-varying powers that create a... Posted 23 Oct 2020
ERS Cymru’s 2021 Manifesto for Democracy In just over six short months voters in Wales will head to the polls for the Senedd elections. This election will be different in many ways, with many alternative measures expected to be in place... Posted 22 Oct 2020
ERS in the Press – September 2020 As the government continues to implement new restrictions to fight the second wave of coronavirus, the cracks in Britain’s political system continue to grow behind the curtain. In September we released new research on party... Posted 02 Oct 2020
Wales’ Parliament has long been under-resourced – it’s time to change that With just 60 elected members, Wales’ Parliament has long been under-resourced. But that problem has grown as Wales acquired more responsibilities – without the representatives needed to properly scrutinise legislation. Changes to the size of... Posted 11 Sep 2020