YouGov's latest MRP shows just how broken First Past the Post is. Were an election held tommorow, 155 MPs would be elected on less than 3 in 10 votes. On average, an MP would be elected with just 34.4%, and in one seat, the winner would scrape in on only 22.1% (Cardiff East).

Young people who begin voting at 16 are more likely to stay voters for life. We can’t wait to see that energy in UK elections 🗳️ #v16 #VotesAt16

✍️ Tracking Trump’s actions Democracy under siege: how Trump’s authoritarian playbook threatens both US and European institutions By Helen Johnston @hj4euinspain.bsky.social

Should someone like Elon Musk be allowed to donate millions of pounds to UK political parties? We’ve all seen his comments at the weekend. So far, the govt seems intensely relaxed about mega rich donors like Musk buying outsized influence in our politics. We say: cap donations, level the field.

Trump's state visit is a reminder of how quickly democracy can begin to unravel. Without proper safeguards, UK democracy is no less vulnerable to subversion. Great to welcome Rachel Blake MP to discuss how to create a #ResilientDemocracy alongside @radixuk.bsky.social & @compinpolitics.bsky.social

Our #ResilientDemocracy conference kicks off this morning in conjunction with @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social and @compinpolitics.bsky.social 🎙 Bringing together organisations across the spectrum that champion our democracy to examine how upcoming legislation can strengthen our democratic values 📜🗳️

Ironic that the Defending Democracy Taskforce won’t open up its work to democratic scrutiny. With staff numbers falling, no dedicated budget & declining ministerial interest, it’s hard not to conclude that defending democracy is slipping down the government’s agenda. bylinetimes.com/2025/09/16/k...

Welcome to the new Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy. Proof that democracy is something we must both build carefully and keep burning bright 🔥🏛 #KeepTheFlameAlive #DemocracyDay #BuiltToLast #IDD25

🌍 Today is #DemocracyDay. Democracy isn’t a given — it’s built, protected & improved by us all. At Unlock Democracy, we fight for a politics that puts power in the hands of the people. Join us 👇 bit.ly/3IkORJn #IDD

🧵 Trust in politics can only be rebuilt if ethics bodies are independent, empowered & properly funded. Anything less will fail. Unlock Democracy has told @CommonsPACAC what must change to restore integrity in UK public life. Here are the key points 👇

A truly independent elections watchdog is important for giving voters confidence that our elections are free and fair. Having opposed the last government's policy of interference, it’s shameful that Labour is now committed to maintaining political control of the Electoral Commission.

The right decision. Angela Rayner has admitted her mistake and accepted the findings of the ethics adviser. If more politicians showed this kind of accountability, public trust in politics might be a whole lot stronger. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Speculative cost savings should never have been the basis for redrawing the map of local government. Especially without independent evidence for that claim. The government can still rethink its approach. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Could employers giving staff a couple of hours off work on election day boost turnout? 👇

We always said, to make votes at 16 a success, it must be accompanied by automatic voter registration and citizenship education. Good to see this future taking shape. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

3.5 million UK citizens overseas deserve proper representation in Parliament. Right now they’re an electoral afterthought, their distinctive concerns unheard and unanswered. Dedicated MPs for Brits abroad would plug this gap in our democracy. www.eureporter.co/world/uk/202...

Yet another major party donor, Graham Edwards, has been fast-tracked into the House of Lords and will be a legislator for life. This is now standard practice here in the UK. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Peers in the House of Lords will no longer have to declare their non-financial interests. This is a major step backwards and a significant loss of transparency. news.sky.com/story/house-...

4 Labour MPs were suspended from the party last month. What do the Labour suspensions say about democracy? Have a read 👇 unlockdemocracy.org.uk/blog1/2025/8...

You can buy a meeting with a Labour figure for £9,500. And you can buy breakfast with Nigel Farage for £25,000. This is cash for access and it poisons our politics. Businesses pay lots of money to influence the government, which drowns out the voices of ordinary people.

Why history tells us to be optimistic about lowering the voting age to 16 👇 Read our piece for Left Foot Forward. leftfootforward.org/2025/08/why-...

Loss of trust brought down the Conservatives. Will it condemn Labour in 2029? The Liz Truss mini budget set the seal on Labour’s election victory, but the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal & Partygate laid its foundations. The warning signs are there for Labour.

Businesses can pay £250k to secure a seat at the table with the Reform Leader. This further reinforces the view that big donors have much more sway over political parties than the average voter. www.desmog.com/2025/08/05/r...

For the first time ever, the British government was granted a super-injunction to conceal information from the public. Read the full story 👇 unlockdemocracy.org.uk/blog1/2025/7...

“The traditional foundations of Conservative and Labour politics are not there.” At this week’s webinar, Prof Sir John Curtice brilliantly explained why the two-party system is breaking down like never before. Electorally, he argued, “we are in a different world.” The voting system must catch up.

“There is now majority support for electoral reform among the voters of all five principal parties across the UK.” Fantastic to host the esteemed Prof Sir John Curtice at our joint UD-MVM webinar this week. If you missed it, you can watch it back here 👇 www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXme...

Strong democracies need an ‘ecosystem of participation’. If properly supported, citizen participation in all its forms can help to foster the political legitimacy and consent necessary to tackle the major challenges we face.

The Government has finally announced its Ethics & Integrity Commission. But it leaves all the power with the Prime Minister and we saw how that played out all too often over the last 5 years. We need a truly independent commission. Sign our letter 👇 secure.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/page/175132/...

Why is the government failing to restore trust in politics? Can they turn things around? Who better to ask than esteemed political analyst Prof Sir John Curtice. Join us on Tuesday 29th July for a wide-ranging discussion on the health of British democracy 👇 bit.ly/3IJRQLm

With Parliament now in recess & some MPs head off to the beach, a reminder that - technically - there’s nothing to stop them doing this all year round while still drawing their salary. A job description for MPs would help to set enforceable minimum standards. Find out more 👇 youtu.be/LpcpEdA62Gk

If Boris Johnson had needed to repay his PM’s severance pay after taking a job at the Daily Mail in breach of Acoba rules, he would have been returning £18,660. His salary is reported to be six figures… Just one of the flaws in the government’s announcement on standards reform.

Reform of the House of Lords is exceptionally rare – the last government reform Bill that made it out of the Commons was 26 years ago. We can't help feeling the Hereditary Peers Bill is a massive missed opportunity. leftfootforward.org/2025/07/the-...

Is the Ethics and Integrity Commission finally about to arrive? Will it "stamp out corruption and restore trust in public office", as Labour promised? Or will it just be a rebrand of the same, rotten standards system? We'll find out next week, it seems. www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

Votes at 16 is a big step forward. The evidence from Scotland, where 16 and 17-year olds have had the vote since 2014, is that young people engage strongly with democracy and, when they start voting early, they keep on voting as they get older. That can only boost our democracy.

A welcome step in the right direction: civil society must be able to challenge government safely. But scepticism remains about the government's commitment to peaceful protest. Their actions to date indicate peaceful protest is not exactly safe in their hands. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The government has just set out its plans for the upcoming Elections Bill, and it's a strong start. They’re finally giving 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote, which should make a real difference to getting young people engaged in our politics. 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/p...

“Crypto donations, and the heightened risk of crypto being used to channel foreign money into UK politics, are a clear and present danger to democratic integrity.” Our Director urges the government to use its elections strategy to safeguard democracy👇 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Launching: A Roadmap to Votes at 16 🚨 We’re proud to support A Roadmap to Votes at 16 🗳️ - a report co-created with organisations, teachers, youth workers and young people to make Votes at 16 a success. 👉 Read the full report: docsend.com/view/9nnhamt... @politicsproject.bsky.social

🔔 CONFIRMED: the Government is abandoning First Past the Post... for mayoral and PCC elections. This is the first acknowledgement we’ve seen from the Government that First Past the Post is not fit for purpose in an age of multi-party politics. Mayoral elections should be just the first step.

Moving back to preferential voting for mayors is great news, if true. We saw two months ago mayors winning on just 25% of the vote thanks to First Past the Post. A return to SV will make sure mayors need broader public support to get elected. www.themj.co.uk/devo-reintro...

The perception of cronyism continues to haunt this government. Is this the 'reset in our public life', or the 'clean-up that ensures the highest standards of integrity' Labour spoke about in its manifesto? open.substack.com/pub/democrac...

Today the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is set to have its second day of report stage in the Lords. We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments. A thread 👇

Voting is becoming more like buying a lottery ticket than choosing who you want as an MP or a Government. First Past the Post, built for two parties, can't cope with the reality of British politics today.

The government hasn't made its first year count when it comes to restoring trust. Without urgent, visible action to clean up Westminster and modernise our institutions, Labour risks deepening the crisis in mistrust it promised to solve. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

The government hasn't made its first year count when it comes to restoring trust. Without urgent, visible action to clean up Westminster and modernise our institutions, Labour risks deepening the crisis in mistrust it promised to solve. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Reform is charging potential Holyrood candidates up to £200 to stand for the party. "Charging prospective candidates a fee... will act as a significant barrier for some, and risk reducing the talent pool of potential MSPs", our Director said in response. www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

"If you're going to maintain an appointed system, you have to ask 'how do you Johnson-proof it?'" Only 55 peers decided to tackle that question last night, by backing a proposal to give the House of Lords Appointments Commission the power to block unsuitable appointees. 1/3

Excellent speech this evening from Lord Brady on why we need a wholly or partly-elected House of Lords. Without it, we risk "elective dictatorship" where a government with a big majority in the Commons can ride roughshod over the people, with an illegitimate Lords unable to stand in its way.

'Parliamentarians should seize this opportunity now to implement a reform that has been decades (even centuries) in the making. I hope our poll offers them the confidence to do so.' Meg Russell writes for @uk.theconversation.com ahead of the hereditary peers bill being debated today. Read it 👇

Trust is the lifeblood of democracy, and it’s draining fast. The government must act to stem the bleeding, starting today by cleaning up the Lords appointments process. Restricting freebies & second jobs should also be high up the agenda. Hope is not a strategy. www.politics.co.uk/comment/2025...