David Butler wrote in 1997 in his introduction to the definitive guide to the by-election: They may offer some guide to the public mood; but who now would dare to give a figure for the likely difference between a by-election … [Read more...] about The High-Stakes and Rather Unusual Makerfield By-Election
On 7 May 2026, the people of Wales will go to the polls to elect the seventh Senedd. Three factors make this a landmark election in the history of devolution in Wales: Senedd reform, forecasted changes to the membership of the Senedd, and a new party … [Read more...] about The Senedd Election: Are Big Changes on the Horizon?
The Sewel Convention sits at the centre of the UK’s territorial constitution. It is often presented as a simple principle: Westminster will not normally legislate on devolved matters without the consent of devolved legislatures. Named for … [Read more...] about Sewel, Elections and the Future of the Devolution Settlement
When the Representation of the People Bill 2026 enters committee stage in the House of Commons later this month, MPs will begin scrutinising one of the most significant pieces of legislation affecting UK elections for many years. This moment … [Read more...] about A New Government Bill: Elections May Never be the Same
The Labour Party’s decision to prevent Andy Burnham, the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, from standing as a parliamentary candidate in the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by-election has largely been treated as an episode of internal … [Read more...] about Our Elections are in a Chokehold: The Burnham Example
Shortly before Christmas, on 16 December 2025, the Government announced an urgent independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics. The review is to be led by former DExEU Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft. Though newspaper … [Read more...] about Dirty Money and the Need for Disinfectant
On 18 December, the Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, indicated that the Government had invited local authorities to advise on whether there should be a one-year delay to local elections. This invitation arises amidst … [Read more...] about Delaying Local Government Elections: Electoral Advantage or Genuine Reform?
Elections are a fundamental component of representative democracy – without them, a country cannot be democratic. For many countries, elections are the main way citizens can influence the programs and policies that affect them. There are a … [Read more...] about Explainer: The Tradeoffs in Different Electoral Systems
One of Donald Trump’s favourite complaints is about what he calls “election interference”. He throws the accusation around a bit like confetti – or is the correct term chaff? A recent example – and most noticed in the UK - has been his accusation … [Read more...] about Have Labour interfered in the US election?
When the result of the broadcasters' exit poll was revealed at 10 o’clock on 4 July, the lack of surprise was almost palpable. The headline projection – a Labour landside – had been echoed consistently by virtually every major opinion poll carried … [Read more...] about Opinion polls during elections: to ban or not to ban?
The 4 July general election was a massive success for Labour, returning 411 seats for the party and an 86-seat majority. However, while Labour now holds 63.2% of the seats in the House of Commons, it only received 33.5% of the national-level vote. In … [Read more...] about PR vs. First Past the Post: Practical and Ethical Tradeoffs
Last week, the new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak (it still feels strange to write that) met face-to-face for the first time since the general election. In that meeting in Parliament last Tuesday, both … [Read more...] about Opposition Costings: In Need of Reform?
