Elections and electoral systems
Why Labour under Jeremy Corbyn is stuck on repeat after this poor election showing
The 2016 elections in England showed that Labour are not, according to Jeremy Corbyn’s critics, making the progress that they ought to be at this stage in the electoral cycle as an opposition party. Here, Alistair Clark explains why the Labour leader is stuck on repeat. Similar Posts‘Super Thursday’ showed us that British politics has […]
Electing the London Mayor and Police Commissioners in England and Wales: How to use your two votes well
British voters are used to having just one vote. But on 5 May this year a record number of voters in England and Wales will be using a two–vote electoral system to choose the London Mayor and Police Commissioners across the country, many for the first time. Wherever you stand politically, Professor Patrick Dunleavy explains […]
In Scotland, Wales and the London Assembly elections every voter has TWO choices tomorrow. Here’s how to use both votes well
Voters are used to a two-vote electoral system for the Edinburgh Parliament, and the Assemblies in Cardiff and London. But how these systems operate changes a bit every time, with changing party fortunes. And this year some politicians (especially in Scotland) are advising voters to do things that may ‘waste’ one of their votes. Wherever […]
Police and Crime Commissioners: The forgotten elections
On May 5, England and Wales will elect police and crime commissioners (PCCs) for the second time, though you may not know about them. What are these elections about, who is in the race, and who will win are all important questions that surround a largely unheard election. In this article, Dr Kenneth Bunker covers […]
Scottish Parliament election preview: Mid-Scotland and Fife have a varied political past, but SNP are staying put in 2016
The Kingdom of Fife is one of the few of Scotland’s regions which has returned a variety of different parties in elections both to Westminster and Holyrood. Here, Juliet Swann offers an overview of electoral fortunes since 1999 and details the 2016 contests. She writes that while a strong performance from the SNP is inevitable, […]
What turnout can we expect in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?
The whole UK will go to the polls on Thursday, with some of the most high profile contests involving the elections of devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Here, Dr. Kenneth Bunker of the Democratic Dashboard looks at what we might expect turnout to be in the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales elections in […]
Scottish Parliament election preview: Continuity and change in the Highlands and Islands
The Highlands and Islands region of Scotland covers an enormous land-mass, much of it extremely sparsely populated and remote. Traditionally, it has been a site of strength for the Liberal Democrats, however that dynamic (other than in the Northern Isles) seems to be changing. Here, Juliet Swann looks at the history of Scottish Parliament elections […]
More female candidates in 2016 is positive, but not the full story
On Tuesday, Democratic Dashboard launched its data briefing on Gender and the 2016 Elections, looking at the prospects for gender balance in the Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and London elections in May. Here, Carl Cullinane summarises the report’s key findings. You can download the briefing here, or get the data here. Similar PostsWhat turnout can […]
President Obama is right to repeat his opposition to Brexit
President Obama’s intervention into the debate over whether or not the UK should leave the European Union has been attacked by Eurosceptics in the UK. Tim Oliver writes that given that the UK and US frequently interfere in one another’s domestic matters, and the concerns in Washington over the consequences of Brexit for both the EU […]
The legitimacy of the EU referendum requires that citizens are informed of the implications of their decision
The campaign over whether to leave the EU or remain a member has predictably focused on matters such as immigration and the economy. However, at stake at the referendum later this year are a set of rights that UK citizens have accrued by virtue of their EU citizenship. Here, Katie Boyle argues that the democratic […]
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