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
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
Over the past few years growing concerns have been expressed about weaknesses in the United Kingdom’s constitutional arrangements. In response to the upheavals generated by Brexit, the draconian measures necessitated by the Coronavirus pandemic and … [Read more...] about Two Approaches to Constitutional Vulnerability
The self-inflicted difficulties of the Liz Truss government have a variety of constitutional dimensions. The advent of an administration willing and able to embark upon the recent disastrous course of action is attributable in part to various … [Read more...] about The constitution and the fiscal statement disaster
In our ever changing political and constitutional landscape, England has remained an often-forgotten anomaly. In the past two decades, constitutional reforms have seen Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all gain significant autonomous … [Read more...] about Ending England’s democratic deficit
What is Scotland’s electoral system? Elections to Scotland’s devolved Parliament are held under the Additional Member System (AMS). Under AMS, 73 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) are elected in single-member constituencies, and 56 are … [Read more...] about A gameable electoral system? The Additional Member System in Scotland
