Archive for September, 2016
Eastminster: how the Westminster model took root in British Asia
The ‘Westminster model’ outside the British Isles tends to be associated with the former British settler colonies such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In a new book edited by Harshan Kumarasingham, the influence of British ideas on democracy and institutions across the Asian continent is examined. He discusses how the ‘Eastminster’ countries developed political systems with […]
Take note, Justin Trudeau: three reasons why changing an electoral system is so hard
Canada is thinking about changing its electoral system, write Kristof Jacobs and Lidia Núñez. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that 2015 would be the last time Canadians elect a federal government using the first-past-the-post system. A parliamentary committee has been set up and talks are on the way. If Canada were to succeed, it would […]
What can political scientists tell us about politics?
Reflecting on his experience of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Fredrik Uggla asks what expertise political scientists can bring to bear on politics. What are the strengths and shortcomings of their contribution when it comes to devising policy and analysing new developments? He urges colleagues to be cautious about proposing solutions but to instead embrace the role […]
In places where corruption is endemic, women struggle to become local councillors
Across Europe, while some regions elect relatively high shares of women to local councils, men almost exclusively dominate the councils of others. New research by Aksel Sundström and Lena Wängnerud suggests that informal recruitment practices are important in understanding why. Their study shows that in regions where corruption is endemic in local government, authorities elect lower shares of women […]
Free and fair? 2016’s elections so far, ranked by integrity
Which countries hold the fairest elections? The Perceptions of Electoral Integrity dataset analysed every election held so far in 2016 and ranked countries in order of electoral integrity. Ferran Martinez i Coma introduces the findings and identifies some important trends – notably a move away from ballot-stuffing and towards abuses of campaign finance and media […]
Book review: Ed Balls’ Speaking Out: Lessons in Life and Politics
Twenty-one years after leaving a career in journalism to work for Labour in opposition, following shock defeat in the May 2015 general election, then UK Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls abruptly found himself without a job. In his new memoir, Speaking Out: Lessons in Life and Politics, he reflects on his life in politics, offering a wider […]
Why Labour can’t get a grip: the power v principles conundrum
Labour’s future direction is at stake. Its leader has the backing of a large part of the membership, yet appears to have no prospect of forming a government in order to deliver upon his vision. Although the trigger was the (tokenistic) addition of Jeremy Corbyn on the ballot paper in 2015, the crisis is caused […]
Don’t let them lie: how we can start holding political advertising to account
Politicians have always lied, writes Alex Parsons, and claims we have entered an era of ‘post-truth politics’ are themselves misleading. Nonetheless, efforts to hold political advertising to account in Britain have failed because of the lack of party consensus on the issue. While commercial advertising can be banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, it has […]
Reforming Australia’s Senate means ensuring Indigenous people are represented
Before the 2016 federal election in July, Australia’s coalition government demonstrated a rare degree of collaboration with the Greens and passed changes to reform the electoral process for the Senate. Richard Reid explains the reform and its intentions – and its complete failure in the wake of Australia’s double dissolution election. He argues the debate about Senate reform should go […]
Justice outsourced: why Concentrix’s tax credit mistakes matter
Administrative justice issues rarely attract the attention they deserve. However, the recent revelations about the tax credit checks undertaken by Concentrix on behalf of HMRC – and the poor service inflicted upon people – highlights a fundamental challenge to administrative justice posed by outsourcing and privatisation. Robert Thomas and Joe Tomlinson argue that the episode highlights […]
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