Articles and Insights

Accessible commentary and insights from the Electoral Reform Society on the issues shaping our democracy.

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How can someone be removed from the House of Lords?

When peers make headlines for the wrong reasons, the same question inevitably arises: how do you actually remove someone from the House of Lords? The recent cases of Lord Mandelson and Baroness Mone have thrust...

Posted 04 Feb 2026

How Sainte-Laguë could improve Scottish Parliamentary elections

Scotland’s Parliament has always been better at representing the political makeup of Scotland than Westminster. A parliament where votes mattered more, where power was shared, and where the political map reflected how people actually voted....

Posted 28 Jan 2026

D’Hondt often over-rewards parties that have already done well

Business leaders make the case for electoral reform

We saw a significant intervention in the debate around electoral reform last week. More than 20 business leaders, including the chairman of the Virgin Group, Peter Norris, called for Westminster to scrap the failing First...

Posted 19 Jan 2026

Political uncertainty has damaged business confidence

Why voting isn’t like drinking or smoking

I’m pretty glad that 12-year-olds aren’t allowed to drive buses. We have age restrictions on many things for pretty good reasons in the UK, and preventing children from careering down the high street in a...

Posted 19 Jan 2026

When we don't want people to pick up an activity, we don't let them start until they are 18

British public strongly back caps on donations to political parties

Polling published in the last few weeks reveals that the British public are worried about the influence of money in politics, with a majority wanting to see the introduction of caps on donations to political parties.   A Survation poll, conducted between 9-11...

Posted 13 Jan 2026