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The political reforms that were lacking from the King’s Speech

Democracy was a conspicuous omission from yesterday’s King’s Speech. The pomp and ceremony of the occasion was the government’s last chance to set out a legislative agenda before the next election. Yet despite Rishi Sunak...

Posted 08 Nov 2023

Here is what we would like to see in a King’s Speech that was serious about repairing our democracy

First Past the Post in mayoral elections means less choice and a weaker voice

This week, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he is facing his ‘toughest election yet’ but why is that? When Labour have a national polling majority of somewhere in the region of 20...

Posted 02 Nov 2023

First Past the Post in mayoral elections means less choice and a weaker voice

How proportional representation worked in the Polish election

With a population of around 40 million, Poland is the European Union’s fifth largest member and by far the largest of its eastern states. It is therefore worth taking notice of any national election in...

Posted 26 Oct 2023

Latest by-elections reveal flaws of First Past the Post

The two UK parliamentary by-elections, held on 19 October 2023, saw some dramatic outcomes. In Mid Bedfordshire, Labour overturned the biggest majority (24,664) in any by-election since at least 1945. In Tamworth, Labour achieved its...

Posted 20 Oct 2023

Democracy is major theme at Labour conference

Following last year’s successful motion on proportional representation, electoral reform and improving our democracy remained some of the biggest topics of discussion at Labour conference this year. The Electoral Reform Society team organised and spoke...

Posted 13 Oct 2023

Darren Hughes and Mick Antoniw at Labour Conference

Making the case for electoral reform at Conservative Conference

As a non-partisan organisation, we attend all the major party conferences to make the case for electoral reform. There is a long history of electoral reform supporters in the Conservative Party, with Conservative Action for...

Posted 05 Oct 2023

Conservative Action for Electoral Reform

Voter ID makes its unwelcome Scottish debut in Rutherglen and Hamilton West

If you live in Rutherglen and Hamilton West and are registered to vote, tomorrow is the day you can go vote in the long-awaited by-election. That is if you have, and remember to take, photo...

Posted 04 Oct 2023

The first time you have needed photo ID to vote in an election in Scotland

Electoral Commission estimate 8 million missing from electoral roll

This week, the Electoral Commission published a report highlighting how millions of people are missing from Britain’s electoral registers. The report details how up to 8 million people are not correctly registered and are at...

Posted 21 Sep 2023

We need UK-wide automatic voter registration

Voter ID rules criticised by MPs, election watchdog and election administrators

This week three separate independent reports have exposed the extent of the unnecessary damage voter ID has wrought to our democracy. Voter ID was rushed through for the local elections in May which meant voters...

Posted 15 Sep 2023

The Government needs to scrap this unnecessary and damaging policy

Responding to Labour’s Plans for Electoral Reform (Conservative Conference)

Conservative Action for Electoral Reform (CAER) are hosting an event at this year’s Conservative Party Conference on the Conservative’s response to Labour’s position on electoral reform. Chaired by Keith Best, CAER. Speakers include Emma Best,...

Posted 12 Sep 2023