News and Comment

The latest news and commentary from the Electoral Reform Society.

Around the World | Current Affairs Commentary | Developments at the ERS | Your Questions Answered | Case Studies

View by category

View by date

ERS in the Press – March 2020

These are difficult and uncertain times, with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down most normal activity in politics and across the country this month. Despite the disruption, we’ve been campaigning the most democratic and safe Parliamentary...

Posted 06 Apr 2020

The plan to cut MPs looks suspiciously like a power grab

Are we witnessing a power grab? Six months ago, reports suggested that the Prime Minister had dropped plans to force through a cut in MPs, a cut linked with the ongoing review of constituency boundaries....

Posted 20 Feb 2018

Seven reasons to cancel the cut in the number of MPs

Six months ago it appeared that controversial changes to electoral boundaries were to be dropped by the government. There has never been a great appetite for the number of MPs to be cut from 650...

Posted 19 Feb 2018

Amid a shrinking Commons, let’s stand up for the backbencher

This article was first published on Politics.co.uk A steady rise in independent-minded MPs has been a positive feature of Westminster life in recent years. Parliament has always had its share of mavericks and their ranks...

Posted 18 Nov 2016

This boundary review risks skewing our democracy. It’s time to think again

It’s fair to say the boundary review has caused a stir. Why? Let’s start with the whole basis of this shakeup. The boundary redrawing is being conducted on the basis of registered electors – rather than the actual...

Posted 14 Sep 2016

More Lords, fewer MPs?…

Since 2010, the Prime Minister has appointed rather a lot of Peers. 244, to be precise. That’s a lot of new politicians. So it was strange to hear the news on Friday that the government are going ahead with...

Posted 12 Feb 2016