Tag: Richard Berry
Debate part 1: should adding ‘None of the Above’ to ballot papers be a priority for UK political reformers?
Is adding ‘None of the Above’ to ballot papers a good idea, and would it make any real difference? Democratic Audit has carried pieces from firm advocates and sceptics of the proposal. Here, Emma Rome (an advocate of the reform), and Richard Berry debate its merits in the form of an exchange of emails, which […]
Why ‘None of the Above’ is the starting point for electoral reform and should be the priority of all political and electoral reformers at this time
Richard Berry recently responded on Democratic Audit to NOTA UK member Rohin Vadera’s article “Democracy demands that a ‘None of the Above’ option be added to ballot papers for UK elections” with an article which suggested alternative reforms to UK voting arrangements. Here, the founder of NOTA UK, Jamie Stanley, responds, finding fault with Berry’s critique. […]
Three reforms that would be more effective than adding a ‘None of the above’ option to ballot papers
Should voters be allowed to select ‘None of the above’ at elections, as proposed recently on Democratic Audit? In this post, Richard Berry argues that this would represent only a superficial change to the electoral process. He suggests that changing the electoral system, introducing primaries and providing better support for candidates would be more effective ways […]
The best of Democratic Audit’s 2014 posts on gender and democracy
The Democratic Audit UK blog, since its launch in July 2013, has sought to highlight the issue of gender in politics, with the aim of creating a more equitable balance in terms of gender representation and the UK’s political institutions. The below are eight of the best posts that DA has carried in 2014. Similar […]
The best of Democratic Audit’s 2014 coverage of elections and electoral issues
2014 saw local and European elections in the UK, as well as elections right across the world. We also saw the relentless build up to the 2015 General Election. As a result, Democratic Audit carried a great deal of research and argument on elections both at home and further afield. As part of our continuing […]
The best of Democratic Audit’s 2014 coverage of local, regional, and sub-national government
This year, the Scottish independence set in motion a chain of events which may, or may not, lead to greater powers at the sub-national level for the English regions, and city areas. Here are some of the best articles that Democratic Audit has carried in 2014 which deal with local, regional, and sub-national government. Similar PostsEvolution or […]
NHS Foundation Trusts have been a source of democratic experimentation for the past decade
Campaigners are promoting a wide range of reforms for the UK’s democratic system, including changing the electoral system, lowering the voting age or allowing people to vote online. While many look overseas for examples of how these innovations work in practice, Richard Berry explains in this post that each has already been introduced at NHS Foundation Trust elections. […]
Expert voices: is it time to lower the voting age to 16?
The question of whether the UK should lower the minimum voting age from 18 to 16 has been on the agenda recently, with Ed Miliband making it explicit Labour policy, and the SNP enfranchising 16 and 17 year olds to good effect during the Scottish independence referendum. As part of the LSE’s ‘Expert Voices’ series, […]
Book Review: Devolution and Localism in England by David M. Smith and Enid Wistrich
Tracing the development of decentralisation policies through regional policies up to and including the 2010 General Election and the radical shift away from regionalism to localism by the new Coalition Government thereafter, the authors consider some of the key policies of the incumbent Coalition Government such as City Regions and Localism. This book is a much-needed contribution […]
A northern powerhouse, or an unwelcome imposition? Experts respond to George Osborne’s Greater Manchester Mayor proposals
The Chancellor recently announced that in order to help make his “Northern Powerhouse” idea reality that the Greater Manchester City Region would see itself gain an elected, “London-style” Mayor, despite residents of Manchester City Council narrowly rejecting proposals for an Directly Elected Mayor for their local authority in 2011. Democratic Audit asked experts to respond to the […]
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