ACE Electoral News

ACE Electoral News

UK: It could take 25 years to revive Scottish Tories, The Herald Scotland (2010)

This article reports on the new strategy of the Scottish Tories after the poor General Election performance. Experts believe that it will take as long as 25 years for the Tories to regain popularity in Scotland.

UK: Labour peers believe that they can block electoral reform, Wales Online (2010)

This article reports on the latest updates on the referendum to change the electoral system in the UK. The referendum is scheduled to be held on the same day as the National Assembly and Scottish Parliament elections, May 5, as stated in the coalition deal between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. The Labor Party actually opposes the electoral reform and some Tory MPs could join them to block the referendum. The referendum would introduce the Alternative Vote system.

UK: Scottish independence plan 'an election issue', BBC News (2010)

This article reports on the Scottish government's decision about the independence referendum. The government decided that a poll for the independence will not be held before 2011. Originally, the referendum was supposed to be on the 30th of November, St. Andrew's Day. The opposition Scottish Labour Party believes that it is not the right time to hold such referendum, and that the government changed its mind about it, but cannot back down (it was in their electoral programme).

UK: Electoral reform: The case for alternative vote, The Guardian (2010)

This article reports on the electoral reform debate in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the Alternative Vote system. According to the author, this will be an imperfect compromise, but a very important one.

UK: 'I didn't bottle referendum", The Herald Scotland (2010)

This article reports on the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, statements on the independence referendum. The Labour Party leader accused him of "bottling out" of holding the referendum before the next elections. Mr Salmond replied that the referendum request must get through the Parliament first, and there is no opportunity to do that now.

Nick Clegg to look at election clashes in UK and Wales, BBC News (2010)

This article reports on the discussions to move the assembly elections in the UK. As a matter of fact, the new law would introduce fixed-term five-years parliaments and every 20 years the assembly elections in Wales and Scotland would clash with the UK general elections. Deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, is discussing with MPs on this matter.

Nick Clegg pushes fixed-term parliament plan, The Independent (2010)

This article reports on a new law that would introduce fixed term for the Parliament in the UK. Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, is strongly supporting this new law, which would deprive the Prime Minister of the power to pick election dates. As a matter of fact, with the current legislation, the prime minister can ask the Queen to dissolve the Parliament at any time. On the other hand, the new law would set a fixed five-year term for the Parliament, and a fixed election date (the first Thursday in May). The new law will now be discussed in the House of Commons.

UK: Fears over voting clash, The Herald Scotland (2010)

This article reports on the discussions about the 2015 elections. In this election day, multiple elections will be held, and many fear that this will create confusion. In 2007, much confusion was created by the Scottish Parliament elections held on the same day of the local elections (using two different voting systems): as a result 140,000 were spoiled.

UK: Hand count for Holyrood election, The Herald Scotland (2010)

This article reports on the electoral authority's decision to stop using electronic counting in the elections for the Scottish Parliament. In 2011 elections, ballots will be counted by hand and voters will receive separate ballot papers for the constituency and regional votes. In the 2007 elections, citizens used three different electoral systems for the Holyrood poll and local council and this created much confusion ( and the invalidation of 150,000 ballots).

UK: Voting reform referendum will go ahead in May 2011, The Independent (2010)

This article is about the referendum on whether to ditch the first-past-the-post voting system will go ahead next May after Labour peers failed narrowly in an attempt to derail the Government's timetable.

Give prisoners the vote in six months or face severe penalties, UK warned, The Guardian (2010)

This article reports on the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the voting rights of inmates. The Court stated that the United Kingdom must allow prisoners to exercise their right to vote, otherwise the 2,500 of them who appealed to the court will be allowed to ask for compensation. The UK has three months to pass a legislation for all the 70,000 convicted prisoners before the ruling becomes final and the six-month deadline comes into force.

Peterhead prisoners refused vote ban compensation, BBC News (2010)

This article reports on the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights. The Court ruled that the United Kingdom must respect the right to vote of prisoners. The Court, however, did not award any compensation to the two inmates who appealed.

UK: Five-year parliaments will be too long, peers say, BBC News (2010)

This article discusses the British government's proposal to introduce a fixed parliamentary term. The Lords Constitution Committee concluded that the gap between the elections would be too long and this would make politicians less accountable to voters. Currently, the Prime Minister can choose the date of the next general election at any time. Since 1945, the parliament lasted an average of three years and 10 months (18 general elections).

UK: Elections clash criticised by peers, The Wales Online (2010)

This article discusses the report of the House of Lords committee on the government's plan to hold a General Election and Assembly elections on the same day. The clash will occur because of the introduction of a fixed five-year term for the parliament. The Committee stated that the Prime Minister should have consulted with the Wales Assembly and the Scottish Parliament, and stated that a four-year fixed-terms would be better option.

UK: AV voting referendum count delayed until next day, BBC News (2010)

This article reports on the upcoming referendum to change the voting system in the UK. The Parliament is currently discussing plans for the referendum to introduce the Alternative Vote. The poll would be held on May 5, and the Electoral Commission stated that the votes should be counted on May 6.

U.K. Five-Yearly Elections Would Hurt Democracy, Lawmakers Say, Bloomberg (2010)

This article reports on the conclusions of a cross-party panel of lawmakers in the House of Lords regarding the proposed electoral reform in the UK. The government's plan to introduce a five-year fixed-term for the parliament would reduce the legislators' accountability to the public and the electorate.

UK: Voting system will keep us in perpetual coalition, says IPPR, The Guardian (2011)

This article reports on a recent study released by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) in the UK. The research analyzed the current first past the post electoral system and concluded that it is "broken" and "unfit" for modern elections that are no longer a contest between just two main parties. This statements will probably influence the debate for the electoral reform in the country and the May referendum on the Alternative Vote.

UK: First-past-the-post voting system 'undemocratic', warns IPPR, The Telegraph (2011)

This article discusses the results of the study recently published by the Institute of Public Policy Research on the electoral system in the UK. The study warns that future elections could see the "wrong" winner being elected and judges the First Past the Post system "undemocratic".

UK: LibDems set for heavy defeat in by-election - polls, Reuters (2011)

This article reports on the latest opinion poll in the UK. According to a recent survey, the Liberal Democratic Party will not succeed in next week's parliamentary by-election in Manchester, and if elections were held today the party would received only 11% of the votes (24% voted for the LibDem in May). The by-election was called when Labor candidate Phil Woolas was found guilty of smearing a LibDem rival and his victory was annulled by the court.

UK: Labour accused of 'playing dirty' in by-election, The Telegraph (2011)

This article reports on the by-election campaign in the United Kingdom. The competition to win the seat is very harsh, as all parties have a lot to gain, and the campaign for the 103 votes is difficult: the Labour candidate, Debbie Abrahams, has been accused by her LibDem counterpart of publishing "deliberately misleading information".